Learn how a simple yeast cell developed the resilience of wood.
In a recent study featured in ScienceAdviser, scientists have delved into the fascinating evolution of a single-celled yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, to become as tough as wood. This yeast, commonly known as brewer's yeast for its role in brewing beer and fermenting other alcoholic beverages, underwent a remarkable transformation through artificial selection. After about 3000 generations of selective breeding, the yeast cells evolved to form rigid clumps, as strong as wood, from their initial fragile snowflake-like clusters.
The researchers, led by evolutionary biologist William Ratcliff from the Georgia Institute of Technology, aimed to recreate the evolutionary process leading to multicellularity in the lab setting. By culturing the yeast in tubes and selectively propagating only the largest cells in each generation, they observed a progressive change in the yeast's morphology. The yeast cells started to form elongated shapes and eventually clustered together to create dense clumps resistant to mechanical stress.
One key player in this evolutionary process was identified as the chaperone protein Hsp90. The researchers discovered that the yeast strains that evolved to be tougher had decreased levels of Hsp90, leading to alterations in the activity of a protein called Cdc28 involved in cell cycle progression. This resulted in the yeast cells taking longer to divide, allowing them to grow and elongate, eventually forming the robust clumps resembling wood.
Interestingly, the genetic changes observed in the yeast strains were not due to mutations in the genes for Hsp90 or Cdc28 but rather modifications in the activity of a transcription factor. This finding highlights the complex and unpredictable nature of evolution in adapting to new challenges, such as developing a sturdy body structure.
The study sheds light on the remarkable plasticity of yeast cells and the evolutionary mechanisms that drive such transformations. By unraveling the genetic and molecular pathways involved in the yeast's transition to wood-like toughness, the research provides valuable insights into the creative solutions that organisms can evolve to thrive in changing environments.
This study exemplifies how artificial selection in the laboratory setting can mimic natural evolutionary processes and uncover novel mechanisms underlying the adaptation of organisms to their surroundings. The findings contribute to our understanding of the diverse ways in which living organisms can evolve resilience and durability, showcasing the ingenuity of evolution in shaping life forms.
Overall, the research on the evolution of yeast to be as tough as wood opens up new avenues for exploring the intricacies of evolutionary biology and the adaptive potential of single-celled organisms in response to selective pressures.
Source: https://www.science.org/content/article/scienceadviser-how-single-celled-yeast-evolved-be-tough-wood
The researchers, led by evolutionary biologist William Ratcliff from the Georgia Institute of Technology, aimed to recreate the evolutionary process leading to multicellularity in the lab setting. By culturing the yeast in tubes and selectively propagating only the largest cells in each generation, they observed a progressive change in the yeast's morphology. The yeast cells started to form elongated shapes and eventually clustered together to create dense clumps resistant to mechanical stress.
One key player in this evolutionary process was identified as the chaperone protein Hsp90. The researchers discovered that the yeast strains that evolved to be tougher had decreased levels of Hsp90, leading to alterations in the activity of a protein called Cdc28 involved in cell cycle progression. This resulted in the yeast cells taking longer to divide, allowing them to grow and elongate, eventually forming the robust clumps resembling wood.
Interestingly, the genetic changes observed in the yeast strains were not due to mutations in the genes for Hsp90 or Cdc28 but rather modifications in the activity of a transcription factor. This finding highlights the complex and unpredictable nature of evolution in adapting to new challenges, such as developing a sturdy body structure.
The study sheds light on the remarkable plasticity of yeast cells and the evolutionary mechanisms that drive such transformations. By unraveling the genetic and molecular pathways involved in the yeast's transition to wood-like toughness, the research provides valuable insights into the creative solutions that organisms can evolve to thrive in changing environments.
This study exemplifies how artificial selection in the laboratory setting can mimic natural evolutionary processes and uncover novel mechanisms underlying the adaptation of organisms to their surroundings. The findings contribute to our understanding of the diverse ways in which living organisms can evolve resilience and durability, showcasing the ingenuity of evolution in shaping life forms.
Overall, the research on the evolution of yeast to be as tough as wood opens up new avenues for exploring the intricacies of evolutionary biology and the adaptive potential of single-celled organisms in response to selective pressures.
Source: https://www.science.org/content/article/scienceadviser-how-single-celled-yeast-evolved-be-tough-wood
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