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H2020Individual fellowship2018–2020

EBM · The evolvability of bacterial multicellularity

Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2018-09-01 → 2020-08-31
EU contribution
€175,420
Participants
1
Scheme
MSCA-IF

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Results in brief

The evolvability of bacterial multicellularity

The evolution of multicellularity transformed life on earth. There are numerous independent origins of multicellularity across the tree of life, many of which resulted in a bewildering diversity of organismal forms and function. Yet, how multicellularity evolves and what determines their evolvability, i.e. their capacity to undergo evolutionary change, remains largely unknown. Here, we investigated the evolvability of one of the simplest multicellular phenotypes: bacterial colony formation. Bacterial colonies are widespread in nature and perform many functions relevant to humans, either because they are harmful (e.g. pathogenicity) or because they have beneficial side-effects (e.g. biocontrol agents in agriculture). Despite their simplicity, bacterial colonies can show a large diversity. This is arguably most apparent in the Bacilli, a group of highly potent colony formers that grow in the soil. There is a good understanding of the gene regulatory network underlying colony formation in the Bacilli, but it is unknown how this network evolves and thereby shapes the evolvability of colony formation. Our aim was to understand the evolvability of colony formation in the Bacilli. We focused on three primary research objectives. In the first research objectives, we examined how the gene regulatory network underlying colony formation evolved across the phylogenetic tree of the Bacillales. In the second research objective, we determined how mutations in the gene regulatory network affect colony-level properties. In the third and final research objective, we determined the functional benefits of these mutations. Why are certain colony-level properties favored or disfavored by selection? Through these research objectives, we strongly advanced our understanding of colony formation in the Bacilli, which may ultimately allow us to control those colonies to the benefit of human health and ecosystem functioning.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

There are numerous evolutionary origins of multicellularity. Yet, only in a few cases was the origin of multicellularity also followed by an enormous diversification of multicellular forms and functions. This raises the question what determines the evolvability of multicellular phenotypes, i.e. their capacity to undergo evolutionary change? I will study the evolvability of one of the simplest forms of bacterial multicellularity: colony formation in the Bacilli. Despite their simplicity, Bacilli can express a wide range of colony morphologies. The physical forces that shape these morphologies are well understood. In addition, there is a detailed understanding of the gene regulatory network (GRN) underlying colony formation and ample of genomic data. I will study how the GRN underlying multicellularity affects its evolvability. First, I will determine which evolutionary changes in the GRN are associated with the diversification of colony morphologies. To this end, I will construct a phylogenetic tree of the Bacillales, compare all genomes and identify the genetic changes that correlate with changes in colony morphology. Second, I will determine if and how these genetic changes give rise to changes in colony morphology. I will construct Bacillus subtilis mutants, which harbor the identified genetic changes, and examine how their colonies develop. Since colonies come about through the feedback between cells and their environment, I will use a unique combination of state-of-the-art biotechnologies to trace the transcriptomic and environmental changes in the colony over time. This will give an extraordinary detailed account of colony development in the Bacilli. Finally, I will examine why the morphological diversification of colonies was favored by selection, by studying the functional properties of colonies. Altogether, this will be the first comprehensive analysis on the evolvability of multicellularity, thereby giving a unique glimpse on how evolution innovates.

Original text from CORDIS.

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Data: CORDIS, © European Union