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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 31, 2026

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

Published on: February 3, 2023

Intrahost mutational dynamics parallel long-term genome evolution in endosymbionts.

Younghwan Kwak¹, Gordon Bennett¹

¹Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of California, Merced, CA, USA.

Molecular Biology and Evolution

|May 29, 2026

Summary

Insect endosymbionts show genetic variation within hosts, revealing distinct mutation patterns that drive genome evolution. These findings illuminate microevolutionary processes shaping obligate bacterial genomes.

Keywords:

endosymbiosis genome evolution mutation

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Area of Science:

Microbiology
Evolutionary Biology
Genomics

Background:

Obligate insect endosymbionts exhibit rapid genome evolution, including accelerated molecular evolution and gene loss.
The microevolutionary forces driving these genomic changes at the intrahost population level are poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate intrahost genetic diversity and mutational dynamics of Karelsulcia and Nasuia endosymbionts in the aster leafhopper.
To link intrahost evolutionary processes to long-term genome-wide evolutionary trends in insect endosymbionts.

Main Methods:

Sequencing and analysis of intrahost genetic variation in Karelsulcia and Nasuia.
Comparison of intrahost mutation patterns with long-term evolutionary changes.

Main Results:

Both endosymbionts displayed measurable intrahost genetic variation, challenging the assumption of strict clonality.
Karelsulcia variation was dominated by repeat-associated indels, while Nasuia showed single-nucleotide mutations influencing AT bias.
Observed intrahost mutational patterns mirrored long-term sequence changes in endosymbiont genomes.

Conclusions:

Distinct intrahost mutational processes significantly drive macroevolutionary patterns in endosymbiont genomes.
Laboratory systems with insect endosymbionts offer a valuable model for studying fundamental evolutionary mechanisms.