Edelmann, Daniel B, Jakob, Anna M, Wilson, Laurence G orcid.org/0000-0001-6659-6001 et al. (5 more authors) (2025) Role of a single MCP in evolutionary adaptation of Shewanella putrefaciens for swimming in planktonic and structured environments. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. e0022925. ISSN 0099-2240
Abstract
Bacteria can adapt to their environments by changing phenotypic traits by mutations. However, improving one trait often results in the deterioration of another one, a trade-off that limits the degree of adaptation. The gammaproteobacterium Shewanella putrefaciens CN-32 has an elaborate motility machinery comprising two distinct flagellar systems and an extensive chemotaxis array with 36 methyl-accepting chemotaxis sensor proteins (MCPs). In this study, we performed experimental selection on S. putrefaciens for increased spreading through a porous environment. We readily obtained a mutant that showed a pronounced increase in covered distance. This phenotype was almost completely caused by a deletion of 24 bp from the chromosome, which leads to a moderately enhanced production of a single MCP. Accordingly, chemotaxis assays under free-swimming conditions and cell tracking in soft agar showed that the mutation improved navigation through nutritional gradients. In contrast, further increased levels of the MCP negatively affected spreading. The study demonstrates how moderate differences in the abundance of a single MCP can lead to an efficient upgrade of chemotaxis in specific environments at a low expense of cellular resources.IMPORTANCEExperimental evolution experiments have been used to determine the trade-offs occurring in specific environments. Several studies that have used the spreading behavior of bacteria in structured environments identified regulatory mutants that increase the swimming speed of the cells. While this results in a higher chemotaxis drift, the growth fitness decreases as the higher swimming speed requires substantial cellular resources. Here we show that rapid chemotaxis adaptation can also be achieved by modifying the chemotaxis signal input at a low metabolic cost for the cell.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2025 Edelmann et al. |
Keywords: | Shewanella putrefaciens/genetics,Chemotaxis,Bacterial Proteins/genetics,Adaptation, Physiological,Methyl-Accepting Chemotaxis Proteins/genetics,Plankton/physiology,Flagella,Biological Evolution |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Physics (York) |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 07 May 2025 11:50 |
Last Modified: | 07 May 2025 23:09 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.00229-25 |
Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1128/aem.00229-25 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:226386 |
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Description: Role of a single MCP in evolutionary adaptation of Shewanella putrefaciens for swimming in planktonic and structured environments
Licence: CC-BY 2.5