Population-Dynamic Modeling of Bacterial Horizontal Gene Transfer by Natural Transformation.

ABSTRACT: Natural transformation is a major mechanism of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and plays an essential role in bacterial adaptation, evolution, and speciation. Although its molecular underpinnings have been increasingly revealed, natural transformation is not well characterized in terms of its quantitative ecological roles. Here, by using Neisseria gonorrhoeae as an example, we developed a population-dynamic model for natural transformation and analyzed its dynamic characteristics with nonlinear tools and simulations. Our study showed that bacteria capable of natural transformation can display distinct population behaviors ranging from extinction to coexistence and to bistability, depending on their HGT rate and selection coefficient. With the model, we also illustrated the roles of environm

SUBMITTER: Mao J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4806214 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature