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Phenotypic Switching Can Speed up Microbial Evolution.

ABSTRACT: Stochastic phenotype switching has been suggested to play a beneficial role in microbial populations by leading to the division of labour among cells, or ensuring that at least some of the population survives an unexpected change in environmental conditions. Here we use a computational model to investigate an alternative possible function of stochastic phenotype switching: as a way to adapt more quickly even in a static environment. We show that when a genetic mutation causes a population to become less fit, switching to an alternative phenotype with higher fitness (growth rate) may give the population enough time to develop compensatory mutations that increase the fitness again. The possibility of switching phenotypes can reduce the time to adaptation by orders of magnitude if the "fitness valley" caused by the deleterious mutation is deep enough. Our work has important implications for the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In line with recent experimental findings, we hypothesise that switching to a slower growing - but less sensitive - phenotype helps bacteria to develop resistance by providing alternative, faster evolutionary routes to resistance.

SUBMITTER: Tadrowski AC

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5997679 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Phenotypic Switching Can Speed up Microbial Evolution.

Tadrowski Andrew C AC Evans Martin R MR Waclaw Bartlomiej B

Scientific reports 20180612 1

Stochastic phenotype switching has been suggested to play a beneficial role in microbial populations by leading to the division of labour among cells, or ensuring that at least some of the population survives an unexpected change in environmental conditions. Here we use a computational model to investigate an alternative possible function of stochastic phenotype switching: as a way to adapt more quickly even in a static environment. We show that when a genetic mutation causes a population to bec ...[more]

PMID: 29895935

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Project description:BackgroundSubstrate cross-feeding occurs when one organism partially consumes a primary substrate into one or more metabolites while other organisms then consume the metabolites. While pervasive within microbial communities, our knowledge about the effects of substrate cross-feeding on microbial evolution remains limited. To address this knowledge gap, we experimentally evolved isogenic nitrite (NO2-) cross-feeding microbial strains together for 700 generations, identified genetic changes that were acquired over the evolution experiment, and compared the results with an isogenic completely denitrifying strain that was evolved alone for 700 generations. We further investigated how the magnitude of interdependence between the nitrite cross-feeding strains affects the main outcomes. Our main objective was to quantify how substrate cross-feeding and the magnitude of interdependence affect the speed and trajectory of molecular evolution.ResultsWe found that each nitrite (NO2-) cross-feeding strain acquired fewer genetic changes than did the completely denitrifying strain. In contrast, pairs of nitrite cross-feeding strains together acquired more genetic changes than did the completely denitrifying strain. Moreover, nitrite cross-feeding promoted population diversification, as pairs of nitrite cross-feeding strains acquired a more varied set of genetic changes than did the completely denitrifying strain. These outcomes likely occurred because nitrite cross-feeding enabled the co-existence of two distinct microbial strains, thus increasing the amount of genetic variation for selection to act upon. Finally, the nitrite cross-feeding strains acquired different types of genetic changes than did the completely denitrifying strain, indicating that nitrite cross-feeding modulates the trajectory of molecular evolution.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that substrate cross-feeding can affect both the speed and trajectory of molecular evolution within microbial populations. Substrate cross-feeding can therefore have potentially important effects on the life histories of microorganisms.

Dataset Information

Phenotypic Switching Can Speed up Microbial Evolution.

Publications

Phenotypic Switching Can Speed up Microbial Evolution.

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