Mutualism breakdown underpins evolutionary rescue in an obligate cross-feeding bacterial consortium
Abstract Populations facing lethal environmental change can escape extinction through rapid genetic adaptation, a process known as evolutionary rescue. Despite extensive study, evolutionary rescue is largely unexplored in mutualistic communities, where it is likely constrained by the less adaptable...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58742-1 |
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| author | Ignacio J. Melero-Jiménez Yael Sorokin Ami Merlin Jiawei Li Alejandro Couce Jonathan Friedman |
| author_facet | Ignacio J. Melero-Jiménez Yael Sorokin Ami Merlin Jiawei Li Alejandro Couce Jonathan Friedman |
| author_sort | Ignacio J. Melero-Jiménez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Populations facing lethal environmental change can escape extinction through rapid genetic adaptation, a process known as evolutionary rescue. Despite extensive study, evolutionary rescue is largely unexplored in mutualistic communities, where it is likely constrained by the less adaptable partner. Here, we explored empirically the likelihood, population dynamics, and genetic mechanisms underpinning evolutionary rescue in an obligate mutualism involving cross-feeding of amino acids between auxotrophic Escherichia coli strains. We found that over 80% of populations overcame a severe decline when exposed to two distinct types of abrupt, lethal stress. Of note, in all cases only one of the strains survived by metabolically bypassing the auxotrophy. Crucially, the mutualistic consortium exhibited greater sensitivity to both stressors than a prototrophic control strain, such that reversion to autonomy was sufficient to alleviate stress below lethal levels. This sensitivity was common across other stresses, suggesting it may be a general feature of amino acid–dependent obligate mutualisms. Our results reveal that evolutionary rescue may depend critically on the specific genetic and physiological details of the interacting partners, adding rich layers of complexity to the endeavor of predicting the fate of microbial communities facing intense environmental deterioration. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9424d8d7367541f79ddb08f07fc9a9bf |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-9424d8d7367541f79ddb08f07fc9a9bf2025-08-20T02:11:47ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-04-0116111010.1038/s41467-025-58742-1Mutualism breakdown underpins evolutionary rescue in an obligate cross-feeding bacterial consortiumIgnacio J. Melero-Jiménez0Yael Sorokin1Ami Merlin2Jiawei Li3Alejandro Couce4Jonathan Friedman5Institute of Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of JerusalemInstitute of Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of JerusalemInstitute of Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of JerusalemInstitute of Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of JerusalemCentro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (CBGP, UPM-INIA/CSIC), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)Institute of Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of JerusalemAbstract Populations facing lethal environmental change can escape extinction through rapid genetic adaptation, a process known as evolutionary rescue. Despite extensive study, evolutionary rescue is largely unexplored in mutualistic communities, where it is likely constrained by the less adaptable partner. Here, we explored empirically the likelihood, population dynamics, and genetic mechanisms underpinning evolutionary rescue in an obligate mutualism involving cross-feeding of amino acids between auxotrophic Escherichia coli strains. We found that over 80% of populations overcame a severe decline when exposed to two distinct types of abrupt, lethal stress. Of note, in all cases only one of the strains survived by metabolically bypassing the auxotrophy. Crucially, the mutualistic consortium exhibited greater sensitivity to both stressors than a prototrophic control strain, such that reversion to autonomy was sufficient to alleviate stress below lethal levels. This sensitivity was common across other stresses, suggesting it may be a general feature of amino acid–dependent obligate mutualisms. Our results reveal that evolutionary rescue may depend critically on the specific genetic and physiological details of the interacting partners, adding rich layers of complexity to the endeavor of predicting the fate of microbial communities facing intense environmental deterioration.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58742-1 |
| spellingShingle | Ignacio J. Melero-Jiménez Yael Sorokin Ami Merlin Jiawei Li Alejandro Couce Jonathan Friedman Mutualism breakdown underpins evolutionary rescue in an obligate cross-feeding bacterial consortium Nature Communications |
| title | Mutualism breakdown underpins evolutionary rescue in an obligate cross-feeding bacterial consortium |
| title_full | Mutualism breakdown underpins evolutionary rescue in an obligate cross-feeding bacterial consortium |
| title_fullStr | Mutualism breakdown underpins evolutionary rescue in an obligate cross-feeding bacterial consortium |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mutualism breakdown underpins evolutionary rescue in an obligate cross-feeding bacterial consortium |
| title_short | Mutualism breakdown underpins evolutionary rescue in an obligate cross-feeding bacterial consortium |
| title_sort | mutualism breakdown underpins evolutionary rescue in an obligate cross feeding bacterial consortium |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58742-1 |
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