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 Concept Videos

Evolution of Microbial Genome01:08

Evolution of Microbial Genome

45
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.
45
Evolution of New Traits in Microbes01:24

Evolution of New Traits in Microbes

97
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...
97
Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?02:05

Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?

8.4K
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.
In contrast, regions which code...
8.4K
Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?02:05

Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?

3.8K
3.8K
Export of Mitochondrial and Chloroplast Genes02:19

Export of Mitochondrial and Chloroplast Genes

4.4K
A eukaryotic cell can have up to three different types of genetic systems: nuclear, mitochondrial, and chloroplast. During evolution, organelles have exported many genes to the nucleus; this transfer is still ongoing in some plant species. Approximately 18% of the Arabidopsis thaliana nuclear genome is thought to be derived from the chloroplast’s cyanobacterial ancestor, and around 75% of the yeast genome derived from the mitochondria’s bacterial ancestor. This export has occurred...
4.4K
Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes03:21

Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes

9.4K
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.
9.4K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Symbolic Preference Distillation: Advancing Small Language Models for Mental Health Analysis.

IEEE journal of biomedical and health informatics·2026
Same author

Plasma Proteomic Signatures of Left Atrial Dysfunction and Cerebral Small Vessel Disease: Elucidating Heart-Brain Connections.

JACC. Basic to translational science·2026
Same author

Towards the construction of a virtual yeast.

Nature·2026
Same author

Genomic epidemiology reveals the origins and transmission dynamics of chikungunya virus in China.

Infectious diseases of poverty·2026
Same author

Splicing of ultraconserved poison exons controls mitotic fidelity and stem cell viability.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Dietary intakes association with plasma per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) concentrations: A cross-sectional human biomonitoring study in Singapore.

Journal of hazardous materials·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 29, 2026

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli
15:00

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli

Published on: August 18, 2023

4.6K

Gene Essentiality Is a Quantitative Property Linked to Cellular Evolvability.

Gaowen Liu1, Mei Yun Jacy Yong2, Marina Yurieva3

  • 1Institute of Medical Biology (IMB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A(∗)STAR), Singapore 138648, Singapore; School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore.

Cell
|December 3, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Most "essential" genes in yeast can be overcome by adaptive evolution, revealing a gradient of gene evolvability. This suggests redefining gene essentiality to include evolvability for better drug target selection.

More Related Videos

Mutagenesis and Functional Selection Protocols for Directed Evolution of Proteins in E. coli
09:01

Mutagenesis and Functional Selection Protocols for Directed Evolution of Proteins in E. coli

Published on: March 16, 2011

31.3K
Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
04:52

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

Published on: February 3, 2023

1.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 29, 2026

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli
15:00

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli

Published on: August 18, 2023

4.6K
Mutagenesis and Functional Selection Protocols for Directed Evolution of Proteins in E. coli
09:01

Mutagenesis and Functional Selection Protocols for Directed Evolution of Proteins in E. coli

Published on: March 16, 2011

31.3K
Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
04:52

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

Published on: February 3, 2023

1.4K

Area of Science:

  • Genetics
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Systems Biology

Background:

  • Gene essentiality is traditionally defined by cell viability upon gene deletion.
  • This definition overlooks the capacity of cells to adapt and evolve in response to genetic changes.
  • Understanding adaptive evolution is crucial for a comprehensive view of gene function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantitatively assess the evolvability of essential genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
  • To investigate the mechanisms underlying the adaptation to essential gene deletions.
  • To propose a redefined concept of gene essentiality incorporating evolvability.

Main Methods:

  • Performed a stringent genetic screen to assess survival after deletion of ~1,000 essential genes in yeast.
  • Analyzed evolved mutant strains for adaptive mutations and ploidy changes.
  • Quantified the genome-wide gradient of gene essentiality and evolvability.

Main Results:

  • Approximately 9% of essential gene deletions were overcome by adaptive evolution.
  • Identified a genome-wide gradient, indicating varying levels of gene evolvability.
  • Observed prevalent ploidy changes, including adaptive aneuploidy in nucleoporin mutants.

Conclusions:

  • Gene essentiality is not absolute and can be influenced by adaptive evolution.
  • A quantitative redefinition of gene essentiality should integrate both viability and evolvability.
  • This revised understanding can aid in selecting therapeutic targets with reduced risk of resistance emergence.