How do interactions between mobile genetic elements enhance microbial community resilience?

许多生态学上重要的性状，包括生物修复、共生、毒力和抗性，通过水平基因转移（HGT）在细菌之间传递，由移动的遗传元件（MGE）的活性驱动。MGE通常彼此交互，例如，质粒上的不同转座子使得多种性状能够在细菌谱系之间同时转移，并且转座子在复制子之间的移动从有限的质粒宿主范围释放性状。MGE的这种模块化可能有助于微生物群落面对不断变化的环境，通过加速适应性特征在群落成员中的传播来增加适应力。该项目将计算机建模与实验相结合，以测试MGE相互作用如何增强空间结构，多物种，土壤微生物群落中的性状传播。该项目的目标是模拟MGE的流动性，关联和模块化对性状传播的影响;实验测试MGE模块化如何影响社区的弹性使用实验室的微观系统，并通过捕获，测序和分析HGT的受体，在自然微生物群落中的水平基因转移的主要车辆。背景许多生态学上重要的性状，包括生物修复、共生、毒力和抗性，通过水平基因转移（HGT）在细菌之间传递，由移动的遗传元件（MGEs）的活性驱动。MGE通常彼此相互作用，例如质粒上的不同转座子使得多种性状能够同时在细菌谱系之间转移，并且复制子之间的转座子移动从有限的质粒宿主范围释放性状。MGE的这种模块化可能有助于微生物群落面对不断变化的环境，通过加速适应性特征在群落成员中的传播来增加适应力。该项目将计算机建模与实验相结合，以测试MGE相互作用如何增强空间结构，多物种，土壤微生物群落中的性状传播。研究目的：1模拟MGE移动性、关联性和模块性对特质传播的影响。2利用实验室微观系统，实验性地测试MGE模块性如何影响社区弹性。3通过捕获、测序和分析HGT受体，表征天然微生物群落中水平基因转移的主要载体。

Many ecologically-important traits, including bioremediation, symbiosis, virulence, and resistance, are transmitted between bacteria by horizontal gene transfer (HGT), driven by the activity of mobile genetic elements (MGEs). MGEs routinely interact with one another, e.g., different transposons on a plasmid enables multiple traits to transfer between bacterial lineages at once, and transposon movement between replicons releases traits from limited plasmid host-range. This modularity of MGEs may help microbial communities in the face of a changing environment, increasing resilience by accelerating the spread of adaptive traits across community members. This project combines computer modelling with experiments to test how MGE interactions enhance trait spread in spatially-structured, multi-species, soil microbial communities. The objectives of this project are to model the effects of MGE mobility, association, and modularity on trait spread; experimentally test how MGE modularity affects community resilience using a laboratory microcosm system and characterise the major vehicles of horizontal gene transfer in natural microbial communities, by capturing, sequencing, and analysing recipients of HGT. BackgroundMany ecologically-important traits, including bioremediation, symbiosis, virulence, and resistance, are transmitted between bacteria by horizontal gene transfer (HGT), driven by the activity of mobile genetic elements (MGEs). MGEs routinely interact with one another, e.g. different transposons on a plasmid enables multiple traits to transfer between bacterial lineages at once, and transposon movement between replicons releases traits from limited plasmid host-range. This modularity of MGEs may help microbial communities in the face of a changing environment, increasing resilience by accelerating the spread of adaptive traits across community members. This project combines computer modelling with experiments to test how MGE interactions enhance trait spread in spatially-structured, multi-species, soil microbial communities. Objectives1 Model the effects of MGE mobility, association, and modularity on trait spread.2 Experimentally test how MGE modularity affects community resilience using a laboratory microcosm system. 3 Characterise the major vehicles of horizontal gene transfer in natural microbial communities, by capturing, sequencing, and analysing recipients of HGT.