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Related Concept Videos

Evolution of Microbial Genome01:08

Evolution of Microbial Genome

Microbial genome evolution is a highly dynamic process shaped by continual gene gain and loss across species and strains. This genomic flexibility allows microorganisms to adapt rapidly to environmental pressures and interactions with other organisms. Central to understanding this diversity is the distinction between the core and pan genomes.The core genome comprises the genes shared by all sampled strains of a species, representing essential functions needed for fundamental cellular processes.
Evolution of New Traits in Microbes01:24

Evolution of New Traits in Microbes

Microorganisms evolve rapidly due to their large population sizes and short generation times, often exhibiting measurable changes within days under laboratory conditions. Natural selection acts on standing genetic variation, enabling the retention and amplification of beneficial traits that confer fitness advantages in changing environments.Adaptive Pigment Regulation in RhodobacterIn Rhodobacter, a genus of purple non-sulfur bacteria, light-harvesting pigments such as bacteriochlorophyll and...
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Evolutionary Processes in Microbes

Microbial evolution occurs rapidly due to short generation times and a variety of genetic processes, including horizontal gene transfer, mutation, recombination, and genetic drift. These mechanisms collectively enable microbes to adapt swiftly to changing environments.Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) allows genes to move between different species and occurs through three main mechanisms: conjugation, transformation, and transduction. Conjugation involves direct cell-to-cell contact for DNA...
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Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes

While every living organism has a genome of some kind (be it RNA, or DNA), there is considerable variation in the sizes of these blueprints. One major factor that impacts genome size is whether the organism is prokaryotic or eukaryotic. In prokaryotes, the genome contains little to no non-coding sequence, such that genes are tightly clustered in groups or operons sequentially along the chromosome. Conversely, the genes in eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of non-coding sequence.
Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes03:21

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Updated: May 27, 2026

Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat
06:03

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Published on: September 20, 2016

Genomic evolution of domesticated microorganisms.

Grace L Douglas1, Todd R Klaenhammer

  • 1Department of Food, Bioprocessing & Nutrition Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA. klaenhammer@ncsu.edu

Annual Review of Food Science and Technology
|December 2, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Microbes like lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, and molds have evolved over millennia for food fermentation. Domestication led to genetic changes, adapting them to nutrient-rich human foods.

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Food Science

Background:

  • Lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, and molds are crucial for food fermentation.
  • These microbes have been selected for thousands of years for sensory attributes.
  • Domestication has significantly influenced their evolutionary trajectory.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the evolutionary traits of microbes shaped by domestication.
  • To understand microbial adaptation to human-developed, nutrient-rich food environments.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of evolutionary and microbiological studies.
  • Analysis of genetic adaptations in domesticated microbial strains.

Main Results:

  • Domestication resulted in genome decay and loss of metabolic pathways in some microbes.
  • Acquisition of specific genomic elements and beneficial mutations occurred.
  • These changes conferred advantages in the nutrient-rich environments of fermented foods.

Conclusions:

  • Microbial evolution during domestication is driven by adaptation to food environments.
  • Understanding these evolutionary changes is key to optimizing food fermentation processes.
  • Genetic modifications highlight the long-standing interplay between humans and food microbes.