Laboratory Evolution to Alternating Substrate Environments Yields Distinct Phenotypic and Genetic Adaptive Strategies.

ABSTRACT: Adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) experiments are often designed to maintain a static culturing environment to minimize confounding variables that could influence the adaptive process, but dynamic nutrient conditions occur frequently in natural and bioprocessing settings. To study the nature of carbon substrate fitness tradeoffs, we evolved batch cultures of Escherichia coli via serial propagation into tubes alternating between glucose and either xylose, glycerol, or acetate. Genome sequencing of evolved cultures revealed several genetic changes preferentially selected for under dynamic conditions and different adaptation strategies depending on the substrates being switched between; in some environments, a persistent "generalist" strain developed, while in another, two "specialis

SUBMITTER: Sandberg TE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5478979 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature