Analysis of bacterial genomes from an evolution experiment with horizontal gene transfer shows that recombination can sometimes overwhelm selection.

ABSTRACT: Few experimental studies have examined the role that sexual recombination plays in bacterial evolution, including the effects of horizontal gene transfer on genome structure. To address this limitation, we analyzed genomes from an experiment in which Escherichia coli K-12 Hfr (high frequency recombination) donors were periodically introduced into 12 evolving populations of E. coli B and allowed to conjugate repeatedly over the course of 1000 generations. Previous analyses of the evolved strains from this experiment showed that recombination did not accelerate adaptation, despite increasing genetic variation relative to asexual controls. However, the resolution in that previous work was limited to only a few genetic markers. We sought to clarify and understand these puzzling results by sequ

SUBMITTER: Maddamsetti R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5809092 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature