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Convergent structure with divergent adaptations in combinatorial microbiome communities.

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  • 1Biology Department, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, United States.

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Microbial communities adapt over time, but even with similar starting bacteria, individual species can evolve differently. This leads to communities with similar structures but varied ecological traits and invasion resistance.

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Area of Science:

  • Microbial Ecology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Host-Microbe Interactions

Background:

  • Replicate microbial communities often show similar adaptation patterns.
  • Divergent evolution of individual microbes can lead to community-level differences.
  • Understanding microbial adaptation convergence with similar but non-identical members is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the extent of convergent community adaptation in bacteria.
  • To examine how similar starting microbial communities adapt over time.
  • To determine if community adaptation leads to divergent member adaptation and altered ecological properties.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental evolution of combinatorial minimal bacterial communities.
  • Co-culture with the model host Caenorhabditis elegans.
  • Analysis of community composition, structure, and invasion resistance.

Main Results:

  • Communities maintained structural similarity over time.
  • Individual bacterial taxa within communities exhibited divergent adaptation.
  • Community-level resistance to invasion varied despite compositional similarity.

Conclusions:

  • Community adaptation from similar microbial starting points can yield similar community structures.
  • Divergent adaptation of member taxa can occur, impacting ecological traits.
  • Microbial community adaptation is complex, involving both convergent and divergent evolutionary processes.