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Related Concept Videos

The Evidence for Evolution02:55

The Evidence for Evolution

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Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.
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Incomplete Dominance01:43

Incomplete Dominance

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Gregor Mendel's work (1822 - 1884) was primarily focused on pea plants. Through his initial experiments, he determined that every gene in a diploid cell has two variants called alleles inherited from each parent. He suggested that amongst these two alleles, one allele is dominant in character and the other recessive. The combination of alleles determines the phenotype of a gene in an organism.
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Convergent Evolution01:54

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Evolution shapes the features of organisms over time, ensuring that they are suited for the environments in which they live. Sometimes, selection pressure leads to the rise of similar but unrelated adaptations in organisms with no recent common ancestors, a process known as convergent evolution.
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Eukaryotic Evolution01:24

Eukaryotic Evolution

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The endosymbiont theory is the most widely accepted theory of eukaryotic evolution; however, its progression is still somewhat debated. According to the nucleus-first hypothesis, the ancestral prokaryote first evolved a membrane to enclose DNA and form the nucleus. Conversely, the mitochondria-first hypothesis suggests that the nucleus was formed after endosymbiosis of mitochondria.
Contrary to the endosymbiont theory, the eukaryote-first hypothesis proposes that the simpler prokaryotic and...
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Synteny and Evolution02:31

Synteny and Evolution

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John H. Renwick first coined the term “synteny” in 1971, which refers to the genes present on the same chromosomes, even if they are not genetically linked. The species with common ancestry tend to show conserved syntenic regions. Therefore, the concept of synteny is nowadays used to describe the evolutionary relationship between species.
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Anatomy of the Intestines01:23

Anatomy of the Intestines

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Although digestion of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids may begin in the stomach, it is completed in the intestine. The absorption of nutrients, water, and electrolytes from food and drink also occurs in the intestine. The intestines can be divided into two structurally distinct organs—the small and large intestines.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 26, 2026

Testing the Role of Multicopy Plasmids in the Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance
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Diversification and Evolution of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium during Intestinal Domination.

Krista A Dubin1, Deepti Mathur2, Peter T McKenney1

  • 1Immunology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA.

Infection and Immunity
|April 24, 2019
PubMed
Summary

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) rapidly diversifies within the gut, forming complex, evolving populations. This evolution, particularly mutations conferring ampicillin resistance, impacts tracking VRE transmission and treatment effectiveness.

Keywords:
bacterial evolution

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A 1.5 Hour Procedure for Identification of Enterococcus Species Directly from Blood Cultures
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A 1.5 Hour Procedure for Identification of Enterococcus Species Directly from Blood Cultures

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) is a major cause of hospital-acquired infections, especially in immunocompromised patients.
  • Antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis can lead to VRE intestinal domination, increasing bloodstream infection risk.
  • Prolonged VRE domination in patients, like those undergoing bone marrow transplants, is known, but subspecies evolution remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the subspecies diversification and evolution of VRE during prolonged intestinal domination.
  • To understand the genetic complexity and dynamics of VRE populations in vivo.
  • To identify evolutionary pressures and genetic adaptations driving VRE expansion.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal analysis of patient data and clinical isolates.
  • Whole-genome sequencing of VRE from sequential stool samples.
  • In vivo experiments in ampicillin-treated mice colonized with VRE.
  • Mathematical modeling of VRE evolution and fitness landscapes.

Main Results:

  • VRE populations exhibit significant complexity and rapid evolution over time, not apparent from 16S rRNA analysis.
  • In vivo experiments show rapid diversification into competing lineages from a single colonizing unit.
  • Mathematical modeling indicates a parabolic fitness landscape, with diminishing returns for mutations.
  • Mutations in penicillin-binding protein 5 (pbp5) conferring ampicillin resistance provide a significant fitness advantage under continuous ampicillin treatment.

Conclusions:

  • Host-colonizing VRE populations diversify rapidly, revealing substantial genetic complexity.
  • Understanding VRE evolution is crucial for accurate epidemiologic tracking of hospital-acquired infections.
  • Rapid evolution, especially antibiotic resistance, has implications for VRE treatment strategies and susceptibility monitoring.