Innovation in an E. coli evolution experiment is contingent on maintaining adaptive potential until competition subsides.

ABSTRACT: Key innovations are disruptive evolutionary events that enable a species to escape constraints and rapidly diversify. After 15 years of the Lenski long-term evolution experiment with Escherichia coli, cells in one of the twelve populations evolved the ability to utilize citrate, an abundant but previously untapped carbon source in the environment. Descendants of these cells became dominant in the population and subsequently diversified as a consequence of invading this vacant niche. Mutations responsible for the appearance of rudimentary citrate utilization and for refining this ability have been characterized. However, the complete nature of the genetic and/or ecological events that set the stage for this key innovation is unknown. In particular, it is unclear why it took so long for citr

SUBMITTER: Leon D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5918244 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature