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Related Concept Videos

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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Bacterial Transformation01:33

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In 1928, bacteriologist Frederick Griffith worked on a vaccine for pneumonia, which is caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. Griffith studied two pneumonia strains in mice: one pathogenic and one non-pathogenic. Only the pathogenic strain killed host mice.
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Bacterial Transformation01:33

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In 1928, bacteriologist Frederick Griffith worked on a vaccine for pneumonia, which is caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. Griffith studied two pneumonia strains in mice: one pathogenic and one non-pathogenic. Only the pathogenic strain killed host mice.
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Mutations in Microorganisms01:18

Mutations in Microorganisms

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Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli
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Are humans increasing bacterial evolvability?

Michael R Gillings1, H W Stokes

  • 1Genes to Geoscience Research Centre, Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia. michael.gillings@mq.edu.au

Trends in Ecology & Evolution
|March 31, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Antibiotic resistance is rising due to increased bacterial evolvability. Environmental spread of resistance genes and selective agents may accelerate mutation and gene transfer, posing risks to health and ecosystems.

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Environmental Science

Background:

  • Antibiotic use drives the selection of resistant bacterial strains and resistance genes.
  • These resistant elements spread through human waste streams, alongside selective agents.
  • Antimicrobial therapy may inadvertently increase the overall evolvability of bacterial populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential for antimicrobial therapy to increase bacterial evolvability.
  • To explore the mechanisms by which environmental factors influence bacterial genetic variation.
  • To assess the broader ecological and health consequences of increased bacterial evolvability.

Main Methods:

  • The study likely involves analyzing genetic variation in bacterial populations exposed to selective agents.
  • Environmental dissemination pathways of resistance genes and selective agents are considered.
  • Theoretical modeling or experimental evolution may be used to assess changes in mutation, recombination, and lateral gene transfer (LGT) rates.

Main Results:

  • Antimicrobial selective agents can lead to increased rates of mutation, recombination, and lateral gene transfer (LGT).
  • Environmental saturation with these agents may favor bacteria with higher genetic innovation capacity.
  • This increased evolvability poses unpredictable risks to public health and the biosphere.

Conclusions:

  • Widespread antibiotic use may unintentionally enhance bacterial evolvability.
  • This heightened capacity for genetic change could lead to unforeseen evolutionary trajectories in bacteria.
  • Managing antibiotic resistance requires understanding and mitigating the impact on bacterial evolution and environmental dissemination.