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

许多重要的生态特征，包括生物修复、共生、毒力和抗性，在可移动遗传元件(MGES)的活性驱动下，通过水平基因转移(HGT)在细菌之间传递。MGES经常相互作用，例如，一个质粒上的不同转座子使多个性状能够同时在细菌谱系之间转移，而复制子之间的转座子运动释放了有限的质粒宿主范围内的性状。MGES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，通过加速适应特征在群落成员中的传播来提高弹性。该项目将计算机模拟与实验相结合，以测试MGE交互作用如何增强空间结构、多物种、土壤微生物群落中的特征传播。该项目的目标是模拟MGE的流动性、关联性和模块化对特征传播的影响；使用实验室微观世界系统实验测试MGE模块化如何影响社区复原力，并通过捕获、测序和分析HGT的接受者来表征自然微生物群落中水平基因转移的主要载体。背景许多重要的生态特征，包括生物修复、共生、毒力和抗性，在可移动遗传元件(MGES)的活性驱动下，通过水平基因转移(HGT)在细菌之间传递。MGES经常相互作用，例如，一个质粒上的不同转座子使多个性状能够同时在细菌谱系之间转移，而复制子之间的转座子运动释放了有限的质粒宿主范围的性状。MGES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，通过加速适应特征在群落成员中的传播来提高弹性。该项目将计算机模拟与实验相结合，以测试MGE交互作用如何增强空间结构、多物种、土壤微生物群落中的特征传播。目标1模拟MGE流动性、关联性和模块化对特征传播的影响。2使用实验室微观世界系统实验测试MGE模块化如何影响社区复原力。3通过捕获、测序和分析HGT的接受者，描述在自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.