Experimental evolution of bet hedging

Hubertus J. E. Beaumont (), Jenna Gallie, Christian Kost, Gayle C. Ferguson and Paul B. Rainey
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Hubertus J. E. Beaumont: New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study and Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology & Evolution, Massey University, Private Bag 102904, North Shore Mail Centre, North Shore City 0745, Auckland, New Zealand
Jenna Gallie: New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study and Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology & Evolution, Massey University, Private Bag 102904, North Shore Mail Centre, North Shore City 0745, Auckland, New Zealand
Christian Kost: New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study and Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology & Evolution, Massey University, Private Bag 102904, North Shore Mail Centre, North Shore City 0745, Auckland, New Zealand
Gayle C. Ferguson: New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study and Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology & Evolution, Massey University, Private Bag 102904, North Shore Mail Centre, North Shore City 0745, Auckland, New Zealand
Paul B. Rainey: New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study and Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology & Evolution, Massey University, Private Bag 102904, North Shore Mail Centre, North Shore City 0745, Auckland, New Zealand

Nature, 2009, vol. 462, issue 7269, 90-93

Abstract: Dicing with survival: experimental evolution of bet hedging in bacteria If living organisms are to survive, they must cope with ever-changing environments. One solution is the evolution of sensing mechanisms allowing modulation of the phenotype in response to specific cues. A simpler alternative is stochastic or random phenotype switching — 'hedging your bets'. A study of Pseudomonas fluorescens bacteria exposed to a fluctuating regime with similarities to environments such as the vertebrate immune system demonstrates the evolution of bet-hedging behaviour in real time. The P. fluorescens strain evolved the capacity to switch randomly between colony types, ensuring survival in an artificial environment that constantly favoured different colonies. The presence of bet hedging in these simple organisms, and the identification of the mutations involved, show how a changing environment can reward risk-spreading behaviour. Such strategies may have been among the earliest evolutionary solutions to life in fluctuating environments.

Date: 2009
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DOI: 10.1038/nature08504

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