Researchers Identify Mutation That Allows Bacteria to Adapt to Extreme pH Changes
MICROBIOLOGY
9/27/2024
Researchers from Vanderbilt University have successfully identified a new mutation that allows bacteria to rapidly adapt to extreme environmental fluctuations, particularly changes in pH. In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in September 2024, the researchers revealed a mutation in the transcription terminator Rho, which changes the amino acid arginine to histidine. This mutation frequently appears in E. coli populations that have evolved under conditions of repeated long-term starvation. Metagenomic sequencing results showed that populations with the rho mutation also possess additional mutations in the ydcI gene, which is associated with pH homeostasis. Genetic reconstructions further indicate that the rho allele provides cellular flexibility through an alkaline-induced reduction in Rho function. Not only in E. coli, the researchers also found similar substitutions in other species that regularly encounter pH fluctuations in their environments. These findings undoubtedly provide new insights into how cellular populations respond to environmental pH changes, which may be key in efforts to restore marine ecosystems damaged by ocean acidification phenomena.
