This work was led by @balazs-papp-lab.bsky.social at HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Szeged, in collaboration with @csabapallab.bsky.social , the Tamás Fehér lab and @osilander.
Deleterious mutations are often viewed as evolutionary dead ends. Yet, if subsequent compensatory mutations restore growth, they may also open new adaptive trajectories that were previously inaccessible.
The mechanism points to regulatory reprogramming, especially altered catabolite repression and nutrient uptake. Repairing one metabolic defect can reshape the cell in ways that pre-adapt it to future environments.
Can harmful gene loss become an evolutionary opportunity?
In our new work in @molbioevol.bsky.social , lab-evolved E. coli lines recovering from metabolic gene loss did more than return to normal: some surpassed wild type on nutrients never seen during lab evolution.
📎 doi.org/10.1093/molb...