Molecular Systems Biology 7 Article number: 509 doi:10.1038/msb.2011.42
Published online: 5 July 2011
Citation: Molecular Systems Biology 7:509
Microbial laboratory evolution in the era of genome-scale science
Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
Correspondence to: Bernhard Ø Palsson1 Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0412, La Jolla, CA 92093-0412, USA. Tel.: +1 858 534 5668; Fax: +1 858 822 3120; Email: palsson@ucsd.edu
Received 21 February 2011; Accepted 12 May 2011; Published online 5 July 2011
Abstract
Laboratory evolution studies provide fundamental biological insight through direct observation of the evolution process. They not only enable testing of evolutionary theory and principles, but also have applications to metabolic engineering and human health. Genome-scale tools are revolutionizing studies of laboratory evolution by providing complete determination of the genetic basis of adaptation and the changes in the organism's gene expression state. Here, we review studies centered on four central themes of laboratory evolution studies: (1) the genetic basis of adaptation; (2) the importance of mutations to genes that encode regulatory hubs; (3) the view of adaptive evolution as an optimization process; and (4) the dynamics with which laboratory populations evolve.
Keywords: epistasis; flux-balance analysis; metabolic engineering; mutation;
regulatory hub
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