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PreprintCited by 116Evolution and Genetic DynamicsMicrobial Metabolic Engineering and BioproductionRNA and protein synthesis mechanisms

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Evolution of a minimal cell

Open access
Moger-Reischer, RZ, Glass, JI, Wise, KS, Sun, L, Bittencourt, D, Lynch, M, Lennon, JT·2021·Nature
DOI 10.1101/2021.06.30.450565PMC PMC10396959

Preprint — published as 10.1038/s41586-023-06288-x · Paper page

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Abstract

Possessing only essential genes, a minimal cell can reveal mechanisms and processes that are critical for the persistence and stability of life. Here, we report on how a synthetically constructed minimal cell contends with the forces of evolution compared to a non-minimized cell from which it was derived. Genome streamlining was costly, but 80% of fitness was regained in 2000 generations. Although selection acted upon divergent sets of mutations, the rates of adaptation in the minimal and non-minimal cell were equivalent. The only apparent constraint of minimization involved epistatic interactions that inhibited the evolution of cell size. Together, our findings demonstrate the power of natural selection to rapidly optimize fitness in the simplest autonomous organism, with implications for the evolution of cellular complexity.

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Metadata

Authors
Moger-Reischer, R., Glass, J., Wise, K., Sun, L., Bittencourt, D., Lynch, M., & Lennon, J.
Affiliations
  • J. Craig Venter Institute (US)
  • Arizona State University (US)
ORCID
Venue
Nature
Publisher
openRxiv
Published
2021-06-30
Volume
620
Issue
7972
Pages
122-127
ISSN
0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1101/2021.06.30.450565
PMC
PMC10396959
OpenAlex
W4383198532
Cited by
116
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 29 · 2025: 28 · 2024: 48 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 2
FWCI
18.93
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation (1934554, 2221237, 2022049, 1840301, 1840320, 1818344, 1442246)
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (80NSSC20K0618 JTL, 80NSSC20K0618)
  • Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (21195.002926/2019-98)
  • Nuclear Safety and Security Commission
  • National Institutes of Health (1s10od023501-01, R35-GM12256601)
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences (R35GM122566)
  • Army Research Office (W911NF2210014, W911NF-14-1-0411, W911NF-14-1, W911NF)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Microbial Metabolic Engineering and Bioproduction
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
Keywords
minimal cell, synthetic biology, Mycoplasma mycoides, genome streamlining, mutation rate, fitness evolution, growth rate, cell size evolution, FtsZ, epistasis, cell division, chassis cells, endosymbionts
MeSH terms
Biotechnology, Cell Division, Epistasis, Genetic, Mutation, Mycoplasma mycoides, Selection, Genetic, Symbiosis, Tubulin, Genome, Bacterial, Evolution, Molecular, Genes, Essential, Cell Size, Genetic Fitness, Synthetic Biology

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