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Related Concept Videos

Evolution of Microbial Genome01:08

Evolution of Microbial Genome

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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.
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Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes03:21

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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.
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Advancements in molecular biology have revolutionized the identification and characterization of bacteria, with multiple methods leveraging DNA sequencing for enhanced precision. As sequencing technologies improve and costs decline, these approaches are increasingly used in clinical, environmental, and evolutionary studies.Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) examines several housekeeping genes, essential chromosomal genes encoding cellular functions, to distinguish strains. Approximately...
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Evolutionary Processes in Microbes01:26

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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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The genomes of eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of sequence which do not code for proteins or RNAs. Although some of these regions do contain crucial regulatory sequences, the vast majority of this DNA serves no known function. Typically, these regions of the genome are the ones in which the fastest change, in evolutionary terms, is observed, because there is typically little to no selection pressure acting on these regions to preserve their sequences.
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Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
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Measurably evolving pathogens in the genomic era.

Roman Biek1, Oliver G Pybus2, James O Lloyd-Smith3

  • 1Boyd Orr Centre for Population and Ecosystem Health, Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary, and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK; Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda MD, USA.

Trends in Ecology & Evolution
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Whole-genome sequencing reveals genetic variation in microbial populations over time. Applying evolutionary analysis to pathogens like DNA viruses and bacteria requires overcoming new analytical challenges for population dynamics.

Keywords:
DNA virusbacteriaepidemiological modelsevolutionary rateinfectious diseasephylodynamics

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Area of Science:

  • Microbial genomics
  • Evolutionary biology
  • Pathogen dynamics

Background:

  • Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) offers new ways to study microbial populations.
  • Measurably evolving population concepts are established for RNA viruses but nascent for other pathogens.
  • Pathogen evolution rates blur when assessed genome-wide.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the application of measurably evolving population concepts to pathogens with low mutation rates.
  • To highlight analytical challenges in inferring pathogen population dynamics from genomic data.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing whole-genome sequencing data.
  • Applying analytical approaches for measurably evolving populations.
  • Examining genetic variation across pathogen populations.

Main Results:

  • Genome-wide analysis challenges traditional distinctions between slow- and fast-evolving pathogens.
  • Novel genetic variation accumulation is detectable in pathogens like DNA viruses and bacteria.
  • Significant analytical hurdles exist for inferring population dynamics from genomic data.

Conclusions:

  • Genome-wide perspectives necessitate re-evaluating pathogen evolution rate classifications.
  • Further development of analytical methods is crucial for understanding pathogen population dynamics using genomic data.