Size evolution in microorganisms masks trade-offs predicted by the growth rate hypothesis.

ABSTRACT: Adaptation to local resource availability depends on responses in growth rate and nutrient acquisition. The growth rate hypothesis (GRH) suggests that growing fast should impair competitive abilities for phosphorus and nitrogen due to high demand for biosynthesis. However, in microorganisms, size influences both growth and uptake rates, which may mask trade-offs and instead generate a positive relationship between these traits (size hypothesis, SH). Here, we evolved a gradient of maximum growth rate (μ_max) from a single bacterium ancestor to test the relationship among μ_max, competitive ability for nutrients and cell size, while controlling for evolutionary history. We found a strong positive correlation between μ_max and competitive ability for phosphorus,

SUBMITTER: Gounand I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5204171 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature