Gene amplification and adaptive evolution in bacteria

Gene duplication-amplification (GDA) processes are highly relevant biologically because they generate extensive and reversible genetic variation on which adaptive evolution can act. Whenever cellular growth is restricted, escape from these growth restrictions often occurs by GDA events that resolve the selective problem. In addition, GDA may facilitate subsequent genetic change by allowing a population to grow and increase in number, thereby increasing the probability for subsequent adaptive mutations to occur in the amplified genes or in unrelated genes. Mathematical modeling of the effect of GDA on the rate of adaptive evolution shows that GDA will facilitate adaptation, especially when the supply of mutations in the population is rate-limiting. GDA can form via several mechanisms, both RecA-dependent and RecA-independent, including rolling-circle amplification and nonequal crossing over between sister chromatids. Due to the high intrinsic instability and fitness costs associated with GDAs, they are generally transient in nature, and consequently their evolutionary and medical importance is often underestimated.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2009

Erschienen:

2009

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:43

Enthalten in:

Annual review of genetics - 43(2009) vom: 15., Seite 167-95

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Andersson, Dan I [VerfasserIn]
Hughes, Diarmaid [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 11.12.2009

Date Revised 20.11.2009

published: Print

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1146/annurev-genet-102108-134805

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM190724447