Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Evolution in bacterial plasmids and levels of selection.

W G Eberhard1

  • 1Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ciudad Universitaria, Costa Rica.

The Quarterly Review of Biology
|March 1, 1990
PubMed
Summary

Understanding bacterial plasmid evolution requires considering multiple selection levels. Plasmids evolve rapidly due to horizontal gene transfer, influencing gene function distribution between plasmids and chromosomes.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

DON'T FORGET THE BIOLOGY: A REPLY TO GREEN.

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution·2017
Same author

The ecology of the web ofUloborus diversus (Araneae: Uloboridae).

Oecologia·2017
Same author

Genetic and environmental effects on wing polymorphisms in two tropical earwigs (Dermaptera: Labiidae).

Oecologia·2017
Same author

Spiders avoid sticking to their webs: clever leg movements, branched drip-tip setae, and anti-adhesive surfaces.

Die Naturwissenschaften·2012
Same author

Sexual selection by cryptic female choice on male seminal products - a new bridge between sexual selection and reproductive physiology.

Trends in ecology & evolution·2011
Same author

Inadvertent machismo?

Trends in ecology & evolution·2011

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Genetics
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Gene flow between plasmids and chromosomes poses unique evolutionary challenges.
  • Multiple levels of selection (genes, plasmids, cells, clones) must be considered for plasmid evolution.
  • Conflicts between selection levels can lead to genes restraining their own replication.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the evolutionary dynamics of gene distribution between plasmids and chromosomes.
  • To investigate the role of horizontal gene transfer in shaping plasmid-borne gene functions.
  • To explain the observed patterns of gene localization based on transmission modes.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of gene content on plasmids and chromosomes across different organisms.
  • Theoretical modeling of selection pressures at various biological levels.
  • Examination of gene mobility and transmission patterns.

Main Results:

  • Genes on plasmids are often associated with functions beneficial in localized contexts, driven by horizontal transmission.
  • Prokaryotic transposons share gene content tendencies with plasmids, supporting the local adaptation hypothesis.
  • Eukaryotic plasmids and transposons show different patterns, aligning with reduced horizontal mobility.

Conclusions:

  • Horizontal gene transfer is a primary driver of gene localization patterns on plasmids.
  • The 'local adaptation hypothesis' explains why certain genes favor plasmid or chromosomal localization.
  • Plasmid-borne genes are predicted to evolve more rapidly than chromosomal genes.

Related Experiment Videos