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Is phase variation in Bordetella caused by mutation and selection?
Journal of General Microbiology
|April 1, 1985
Summary
Phase variation in Bordetella bronchiseptica occurs frequently during in vitro growth. This suggests that phase variation arises from random mutations and subsequent selection, impacting bacterial adaptation.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Bacterial Genetics
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Bordetella bronchiseptica exhibits phenotypic changes known as phase variation.
- Understanding the mechanisms and frequency of phase variation is crucial for studying bacterial adaptation and virulence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the frequency of phase variation in Bordetella bronchiseptica under in vitro growth conditions.
- To explore the potential mechanisms driving phase variation in this bacterium.
Main Methods:
- Culturing Bordetella bronchiseptica under specific in vitro conditions.
- Quantifying the occurrence of phase variants within the bacterial population.
Main Results:
- In vitro growth led to a significant enrichment of Bordetella bronchiseptica phase variants.
- The frequency of phase variation was determined to be approximately 10^-6 per cell per generation.
Conclusions:
- Phase variation in Bordetella bronchiseptica is a frequent event under laboratory growth conditions.
- The observed frequency supports a model where phase variation results from random mutation followed by selection.