The road not taken: Could stress-specific mutations lead to different evolutionary paths?
Organisms often encounter stressful conditions, some of which damage their DNA. In response, some organisms show a high expression of error-prone DNA repair machinery, causing a temporary increase in the genome-wide mutation rate. Although we now have a detailed map of the molecular mechanisms under...
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doaj-ce1d84d1eeb6405ca19d9bfde4fe483b2021-07-02T17:08:37ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Biology1544-91731545-78852017-06-01156e200286210.1371/journal.pbio.2002862The road not taken: Could stress-specific mutations lead to different evolutionary paths?Deepa AgasheOrganisms often encounter stressful conditions, some of which damage their DNA. In response, some organisms show a high expression of error-prone DNA repair machinery, causing a temporary increase in the genome-wide mutation rate. Although we now have a detailed map of the molecular mechanisms underlying such stress-induced mutagenesis (SIM), it has been hotly debated whether SIM alters evolutionary dynamics. Key to this controversy is our poor understanding about which stresses increase mutagenesis and their long-term consequences for adaptation. In a new study with Escherichia coli, Maharjan and Ferenci show that while only some nutritional stresses (phosphorous and carbon limitation) increase total mutation rates, each stress generates a unique spectrum of mutations. Their results suggest the potential for specific stresses to shape evolutionary dynamics and highlight the necessity for explicit tests of the long-term evolutionary impacts of SIM.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.2002862 |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Deepa Agashe |
spellingShingle |
Deepa Agashe The road not taken: Could stress-specific mutations lead to different evolutionary paths? PLoS Biology |
author_facet |
Deepa Agashe |
author_sort |
Deepa Agashe |
title |
The road not taken: Could stress-specific mutations lead to different evolutionary paths? |
title_short |
The road not taken: Could stress-specific mutations lead to different evolutionary paths? |
title_full |
The road not taken: Could stress-specific mutations lead to different evolutionary paths? |
title_fullStr |
The road not taken: Could stress-specific mutations lead to different evolutionary paths? |
title_full_unstemmed |
The road not taken: Could stress-specific mutations lead to different evolutionary paths? |
title_sort |
road not taken: could stress-specific mutations lead to different evolutionary paths? |
publisher |
Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
series |
PLoS Biology |
issn |
1544-9173 1545-7885 |
publishDate |
2017-06-01 |
description |
Organisms often encounter stressful conditions, some of which damage their DNA. In response, some organisms show a high expression of error-prone DNA repair machinery, causing a temporary increase in the genome-wide mutation rate. Although we now have a detailed map of the molecular mechanisms underlying such stress-induced mutagenesis (SIM), it has been hotly debated whether SIM alters evolutionary dynamics. Key to this controversy is our poor understanding about which stresses increase mutagenesis and their long-term consequences for adaptation. In a new study with Escherichia coli, Maharjan and Ferenci show that while only some nutritional stresses (phosphorous and carbon limitation) increase total mutation rates, each stress generates a unique spectrum of mutations. Their results suggest the potential for specific stresses to shape evolutionary dynamics and highlight the necessity for explicit tests of the long-term evolutionary impacts of SIM. |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.2002862 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT deepaagashe theroadnottakencouldstressspecificmutationsleadtodifferentevolutionarypaths AT deepaagashe roadnottakencouldstressspecificmutationsleadtodifferentevolutionarypaths |
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