Conflicting selection alters the trajectory of molecular evolution in a tripartite bacteria-plasmid-phage interaction.

ABSTRACT: Bacteria engage in a complex network of ecological interactions, which includes mobile genetic elements (MGEs) such as phages and plasmids. These elements play a key role in microbial communities as vectors of horizontal gene transfer but can also be important sources of selection for their bacterial hosts. In natural communities, bacteria are likely to encounter multiple MGEs simultaneously and conflicting selection among MGEs could alter the bacterial evolutionary response to each MGE. Here, we test the effect of interactions with multiple MGEs on bacterial molecular evolution in the tripartite interaction between the bacterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens, the lytic bacteriophage, SBW25φ2, and conjugative plasmid, pQBR103, using genome sequencing of experimentally evolved bacteria. We show

SUBMITTER: Harrison E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5655702 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature