Pleiotropic hubs drive bacterial surface competition through parallel changes in colony composition and expansion.

ABSTRACT: Bacteria commonly adhere to surfaces where they compete for both space and resources. Despite the importance of surface growth, it remains largely elusive how bacteria evolve on surfaces. We previously performed an evolution experiment where we evolved distinct Bacilli populations under a selective regime that favored colony spreading. In just a few weeks, colonies of Bacillus subtilis showed strongly advanced expansion rates, increasing their radius 2.5-fold relative to that of the ancestor. Here, we investigate what drives their rapid evolution by performing a uniquely detailed analysis of the evolutionary changes in colony development. We find mutations in diverse global regulators, RicT, RNAse Y, and LexA, with strikingly similar pleiotropic effects: They lower the rate of sporulation

SUBMITTER: van Gestel J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10578586 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature