Errors in mutagenesis and the benefit of cell-to-cell signalling in the evolution of stress-induced mutagenesis.

ABSTRACT: Stress-induced mutagenesis is a widely observed phenomenon. Theoretical models have shown that stress-induced mutagenesis can be favoured by natural selection due to the beneficial mutations it generates. These models, however, assumed an error-free regulation of mutation rate in response to stress. Here, we explore the effects of errors in the regulation of mutagenesis on the evolution of stress-induced mutagenesis, and consider the role of cell-to-cell signalling. Using theoretical models, we show (i) that stress-induced mutagenesis can be disadvantageous if errors are common; and (ii) that cell-to-cell signalling can allow stress-induced mutagenesis to be favoured by selection even when error rates are high. We conclude that cell-to-cell signalling can facilitate the evolution of stress

SUBMITTER: Dellus-Gur E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5717628 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature