Recurrence and propagation of past functions through mineral facilitated horizontal gene transfer
(2024) In Frontiers in Microbiology 15.- Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer is one of the most important drivers of bacterial evolution. Transformation by uptake of extracellular DNA is traditionally not considered to be an effective mode of gene acquisition, simply because extracellular DNA is degraded in a matter of days when it is suspended in e.g. seawater. Recently the age span of stored DNA was increased to at least 2 Ma. Here, we show that Acinetobacter baylyi can incorporate 60 bp DNA fragments adsorbed to common sedimentary minerals and that the transformation frequencies scale with mineral surface properties. Our work highlights that ancient environmental DNA can fuel the evolution of contemporary bacteria. In contrast to heritable stochastic mutations, the processes by which... (More)
Horizontal gene transfer is one of the most important drivers of bacterial evolution. Transformation by uptake of extracellular DNA is traditionally not considered to be an effective mode of gene acquisition, simply because extracellular DNA is degraded in a matter of days when it is suspended in e.g. seawater. Recently the age span of stored DNA was increased to at least 2 Ma. Here, we show that Acinetobacter baylyi can incorporate 60 bp DNA fragments adsorbed to common sedimentary minerals and that the transformation frequencies scale with mineral surface properties. Our work highlights that ancient environmental DNA can fuel the evolution of contemporary bacteria. In contrast to heritable stochastic mutations, the processes by which bacteria acquire new genomic material during times of increased stress and needs, indicate a non-random mechanism that may propel evolution in a non-stochastic manner.
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- author
- Verma, Taru ; Hendiani, Saghar ; Carbajo, Carlota ; Andersen, Sandra B. ; Hammarlund, Emma U. LU ; Burmølle, Mette and Sand, Karina K.
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- bacteria, evolution, extracellular DNA, horizontal gene transfer, minerals
- in
- Frontiers in Microbiology
- volume
- 15
- article number
- 1449094
- publisher
- Frontiers Media S. A.
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85210077228
- pmid:39575186
- ISSN
- 1664-302X
- DOI
- 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1449094
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 7e6ad754-f157-4ae9-89f7-b7ce6d30ec19
- date added to LUP
- 2025-01-15 16:25:12
- date last changed
- 2025-07-17 07:33:49
@article{7e6ad754-f157-4ae9-89f7-b7ce6d30ec19,
abstract = {{<p>Horizontal gene transfer is one of the most important drivers of bacterial evolution. Transformation by uptake of extracellular DNA is traditionally not considered to be an effective mode of gene acquisition, simply because extracellular DNA is degraded in a matter of days when it is suspended in e.g. seawater. Recently the age span of stored DNA was increased to at least 2 Ma. Here, we show that Acinetobacter baylyi can incorporate 60 bp DNA fragments adsorbed to common sedimentary minerals and that the transformation frequencies scale with mineral surface properties. Our work highlights that ancient environmental DNA can fuel the evolution of contemporary bacteria. In contrast to heritable stochastic mutations, the processes by which bacteria acquire new genomic material during times of increased stress and needs, indicate a non-random mechanism that may propel evolution in a non-stochastic manner.</p>}},
author = {{Verma, Taru and Hendiani, Saghar and Carbajo, Carlota and Andersen, Sandra B. and Hammarlund, Emma U. and Burmølle, Mette and Sand, Karina K.}},
issn = {{1664-302X}},
keywords = {{bacteria; evolution; extracellular DNA; horizontal gene transfer; minerals}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Frontiers Media S. A.}},
series = {{Frontiers in Microbiology}},
title = {{Recurrence and propagation of past functions through mineral facilitated horizontal gene transfer}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1449094}},
doi = {{10.3389/fmicb.2024.1449094}},
volume = {{15}},
year = {{2024}},
}