Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

The Evidence for Evolution

The Evidence for Evolution

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.

Viral Mutations

Viral Mutations

A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material...

Mutations

Mutations

Mutations

Mutations

Mutations are changes in the sequence of DNA. These changes can occur spontaneously or they can be induced by exposure to environmental factors. Mutations can be characterized in a number of different ways: whether and how they alter the amino acid sequence of the protein, whether they occur over a small or large area of DNA, and whether they occur in somatic cells or germline cells.
Chromosomal Alterations Are Large-Scale Mutations
While point mutations are changes in a single nucleotide in...

Convergent Evolution

Convergent Evolution

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.

Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?

Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

High Rate of Mutation and Efficient Removal by Selection of Structural Variants From Natural Populations of Caenorhabditis Elegans.

Genome biology and evolution·2026

Same author

Evolution of the rate, molecular spectrum, and fitness effects of mutation under minimal selection in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Genetics·2026

Same author

Evolution of the rate, molecular spectrum, and fitness effects of mutation under minimal selection in <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i>.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Same author

Cumulative effects of mutation and selection on susceptibility to bacterial pathogens in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution·2025

Same author

High rate of mutation and efficient removal by selection of structural variants from natural populations of <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i>.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025

Same author

Pervasive Conservation of Intron Number and Other Genetic Elements Revealed by a Chromosome-level Genome Assembly of the Hyper-polymorphic Nematode Caenorhabditis brenneri.

Genome biology and evolution·2025

Same journal

Pitch selectivity in ferret auditory cortex.

Current biology : CB·2026

Same journal

A cell size-dependent competition between geometry and polarity governs nuclear and spindle positioning in early embryos.

Current biology : CB·2026

Same journal

Trophic cascades drive sustainability in the agricultural heritage rice-fish coculture system.

Current biology : CB·2026

Same journal

Tracking Satb2-positive retinal ganglion cells in zebrafish unveils developmental functional reorganization.

Current biology : CB·2026

Same journal

RhoGAP54D promotes cell size asymmetry and inhibits pulsatile myosin activity in Drosophila neural stem cells.

Current biology : CB·2026

Same journal

Increased rates of hybridization in swordtails are associated with water pollution.

Current biology : CB·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 23, 2026

Molecular Evolution of the Tre Recombinase

Molecular Evolution of the Tre Recombinase

Published on: May 29, 2008

Evolution: Environmental Dependence of the Mutational Process.

Charles F Baer¹

¹Department of Biology, University of Florida Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-8525, USA.

Current Biology : CB

|June 5, 2019

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Microbial mutation rates vary with environment, even when microbes grow near their optimal rate. This study reveals mutational variability persists under near-optimal growth conditions, challenging previous assumptions.

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Understanding Microbe Adaptation Using Innovative Techniques for Exploring Thermophilic Evolution

Author Spotlight: Understanding Microbe Adaptation Using Innovative Techniques for Exploring Thermophilic Evolution

Published on: June 14, 2024

Measuring Microbial Mutation Rates with the Fluctuation Assay

Measuring Microbial Mutation Rates with the Fluctuation Assay

Published on: November 28, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 23, 2026

Molecular Evolution of the Tre Recombinase

Molecular Evolution of the Tre Recombinase

Published on: May 29, 2008

Author Spotlight: Understanding Microbe Adaptation Using Innovative Techniques for Exploring Thermophilic Evolution

Author Spotlight: Understanding Microbe Adaptation Using Innovative Techniques for Exploring Thermophilic Evolution

Published on: June 14, 2024

Measuring Microbial Mutation Rates with the Fluctuation Assay

Measuring Microbial Mutation Rates with the Fluctuation Assay

Published on: November 28, 2019

Area of Science:

Microbiology
Evolutionary Biology
Genetics

Background:

Environmental factors are known to influence mutation rates in microorganisms.
Previous research primarily focused on sub-optimal growth conditions, showing significant mutation rate changes.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the environmental dependence of mutation in microbes under near-optimal growth conditions.
To determine if mutational variability extends to conditions where growth rate is not significantly reduced.

Main Methods:

Microbial cultures were maintained under controlled environmental conditions.
Growth rates were monitored to ensure conditions were near-optimal.
Mutation rates were assessed using [specific assay, e.g., fluctuation tests or sequencing-based methods].

Main Results:

Mutational variability was observed even when microbial growth rates were near their optimum.
The environmental dependence of mutation is not limited to severely growth-impaired conditions.
Results suggest a broader role for environmental context in microbial mutagenesis.

Conclusions:

Microbial mutation rates exhibit environmental dependence across a wider range of growth conditions than previously assumed.
Environmental factors significantly impact microbial genetic variability, even under favorable growth.
Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms driving mutation under near-optimal growth.