Widespread potential for phototrophy and convergent reduction of lifecycle complexity in the dimorphic order Caulobacterales.

ABSTRACT: Model bacteria are fundamental for research, but knowledge about their ecology and evolution is often limited. Here, we establish an evolutionary and ecological context for the model organism Caulobacter crescentus-an alphaproteobacterium intensively studied for its dimorphic lifecycle. By analyzing the phylogenetic relatedness and genetic potential of hundreds of Caulobacterales species, we reveal substantial diversity regarding their environmental distribution, morphology, cell development, and metabolism. Our work provides insights into the evolutionary history of morphological features such as the cell curvature determinant crescentin and uncovers a striking case of convergent loss of traits for cellular dimorphism among close relatives of C. crescentus. Moreover, we find that genes fo

SUBMITTER: Hallgren J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12700997 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature