Patterns of Epistasis between beneficial mutations in an antibiotic resistance gene.

ABSTRACT: Understanding epistasis is central to biology. For instance, epistatic interactions determine the topography of the fitness landscape and affect the dynamics and determinism of adaptation. However, few empirical data are available, and comparing results is complicated by confounding variation in the system and the type of mutations used. Here, we take a systematic approach by quantifying epistasis in two sets of four beneficial mutations in the antibiotic resistance enzyme TEM-1 β-lactamase. Mutations in these sets have either large or small effects on cefotaxime resistance when present as single mutations. By quantifying the epistasis and ruggedness in both landscapes, we find two general patterns. First, resistance is maximal for combinations of two mutations in both fitness landscapes a

SUBMITTER: Schenk MF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3708503 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature