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Experimental evolution of bet hedging.

Hubertus J E Beaumont1, Jenna Gallie, Christian Kost

  • 1New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study and Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology & Evolution, Massey University, Private Bag 102904, North Shore Mail Centre, North Shore City 0745, Auckland, New Zealand. h.j.e.beaumont@biology.leidenuniv.nl

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|November 6, 2009
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Bet hedging, a risk-spreading strategy, evolved de novo in experimental bacteria adapting to fluctuating environments. This study provides direct evidence for the adaptive origin of bet hedging, a key evolutionary mechanism.

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Microbial Genetics
  • Adaptation and Evolution

Background:

  • Bet hedging, characterized by stochastic switching between phenotypic states, is a crucial evolutionary adaptation for survival in fluctuating environments.
  • While observed across diverse organisms, direct experimental evidence for the adaptive evolution of bet hedging has been lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the de novo evolution of bet hedging in experimental bacterial populations.
  • To provide direct evidence for the adaptive origin of bet hedging as an evolutionary strategy.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental evolution of bacterial populations subjected to a continually changing environment favoring novel phenotypes.
  • Genome re-sequencing of evolved bet-hedging bacterial strains to identify genetic mutations.
  • Functional analysis to determine the necessity and sufficiency of specific mutations for bet hedging behavior.

Main Results:

  • Bet hedging evolved in two of twelve experimental bacterial replicates, disrupting the trend of successive novel phenotype evolution.
  • Evolved bet-hedging genotypes exhibited rapid stochastic phenotype switching, enhancing persistence in the fluctuating environment.
  • Genome analysis revealed nine mutations in a bet-hedging strain, with a final mutation being necessary and sufficient for switching, contingent on prior mutations.

Conclusions:

  • This study provides the first direct evidence for the adaptive evolution of bet hedging in a simple organism.
  • The findings suggest that bet hedging, a risk-spreading strategy, may represent an ancient evolutionary solution to environmental instability.
  • Understanding the genetic basis of bet hedging offers insights into the evolution of microbial adaptation and persistence.