16 avril 2021, 11h30 (diffusion en visioconférence).

Size matters: Population size and adaptation in bacteria.

Sutirth Dey

Link to seminar: https://umontpellier-fr.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qM3pZuf8TKOm2GhcctXcew

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, India

https://sites.google.com/a/acads.iiserpune.ac.in/sdlab/sutirth

Population size is known to be a major determinant of evolutionary outcomes in microbes. In general, larger microbial populations adapt faster and better to their environments. However, is there a cost to evolving in larger population sizes? We addressed this question by experimentally evolving E. coli laboratory populations of different sizes under various conditions. We found that adapting in larger sizes typically leads to fitness costs under constant environments, but not under fluctuating ones. We then used numerical simulations and genome sequencing to investigate various aspects of this issue.

Recent publications:         
 

Chavhan, Y. D., Malusare, S. and Dey, S., 2020. Larger bacterial populations evolve heavier fitness trade-offs and undergo greater ecological specialization. Heredity 124, 726-736.

Chavhan, Y. D.,  Karve, S. M., and Dey, S. 2019. Adapting in larger numbers can increase the vulnerability of Escherichia coli populations to environmental changes. Evolution 73, 836-846.