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Related Concept Videos

Background and Environment Affect Phenotype02:27

Background and Environment Affect Phenotype

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Although the genetic makeup of an organism plays a major role in determining the phenotype, there are also several environmental factors, such as temperature, oxygen availability, presence of mutagens, that can alter an organism’s phenotype.
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
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Organisms that are well-adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. However, natural selection does not lead to perfectly adapted organisms. Several factors constrain natural selection.
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Gene expression is a dynamic process that is significantly influenced by environmental factors. This interaction underlies the complex nature of biological development and the phenotypic differences observed among individuals, even among those with identical genetic makeups. Factors such as radiation, temperature, behavior, nutrition, and stress play pivotal roles in determining how genes are expressed. The concept of the reaction range is central to understanding this interaction. It posits...
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Natural Selection and Adaptation01:15

Natural Selection and Adaptation

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Natural selection, a fundamental concept in evolutionary biology, is the mechanism by which evolution is driven, favoring organisms that are best adapted to their environments. This process enhances their chances of survival and reproduction. Adaptation, a key outcome of this process, involves genetic modifications that optimize an organism's functionality under specific environmental challenges, such as extreme cold or thinner air at high altitudes.
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Natural selection influences the frequencies of particular alleles and phenotypes within populations in several different ways. Primarily, natural selection can be directional, stabilizing, or disruptive. Directional selection favors one extreme trait and shifts the population towards that phenotype while selecting against individuals displaying alternate traits. Stabilizing selection favors an intermediate trait with a narrow range of variation. Deviation from the optimal phenotype towards an...
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Natural selection is an evolutionary process in which individuals with survival-promoting traits reproduce at higher rates. These favorable traits become more common within a population or species. Naturally selected traits initially arise via random genetic mutations. In order for selection to occur, there must be variation within a population, the trait controlling the variation must be heritable, and there must be an evolutionary advantage for variation in the trait.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 5, 2026

Protocol for Assessing the Relative Effects of Environment and Genetics on Antler and Body Growth for a Long-lived Cervid
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Environment determines evolutionary trajectory in a constrained phenotypic space.

David T Fraebel1,2, Harry Mickalide1,2, Diane Schnitkey1,2

  • 1Center for the Physics of Living Cells, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United States.

Elife
|March 28, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Organisms adapt through a trade-off between swimming speed and growth rate. Environmental conditions alter this evolutionary trade-off, impacting adaptation capacity.

Keywords:
E. colichemotaxiscomputational biologyevolutionary biologyexperimental evolutiongenomicsphenotypic constraintsphenotypic spacesystems biologytrade-off

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Microbial adaptation
  • Phenotypic plasticity

Background:

  • Phenotypic variation is crucial for organismal adaptation to diverse environmental pressures.
  • Understanding evolutionary dynamics requires investigating constraints on adaptation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the evolutionary dynamics of adaptation in *Escherichia coli* under selection for faster migration.
  • To identify constraints and trade-offs influencing evolutionary trajectories in response to environmental conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental evolution of *Escherichia coli* for faster migration in porous environments.
  • Characterization of trade-offs between motility (swimming speed) and growth rate.
  • Genomic analysis to identify adaptive mutations.
  • Modeling of evolutionary processes.

Main Results:

  • A trade-off between swimming speed and growth rate constrains the evolution of faster migration.
  • Rich medium evolution favored fast swimming and slow growth; minimal medium favored fast growth and slow swimming.
  • Parallel genomic evolution occurred via different mutations in each medium.
  • Antagonistic pleiotropy mediated the trade-off through mutations affecting negative regulation.

Conclusions:

  • The environment qualitatively influences an organism's capacity for trait variation.
  • Environmental context dictates evolutionary trajectories by altering adaptive potential and trade-offs.