PubHawk
August 2021 PMID 34225482

Gene Erosion Can Lead to Gain-of-Function Alleles That Contribute to Bacterial Fitness.

Julien Mortier, Elisa Gayán, Ronald Van Eyken, Oscar Enrique Torres Montaguth, Ladan Khodaparast, Laleh Khodaparast, Bert Houben, Sebastien Carpentier, Frederic Rousseau, Joost Schymkowitz, Abram Aertsen

Download social card

Mentions

18
Peak: 18 in Jul 2021
across 2 sources since Jul 2021

Extended reach

144,643
potential audience

Total likes

45

Video views

213

Mentions per month

Jul 2021

All 18 dated mentions so far are from Jul 2021.

Where it's discussed

  • X / Twitter16 posts
  • YouTube2 videos

AI synopsis

What people are saying

The discussions reflect a high level of interest and agreement, with posts praising the research for revealing counterintuitive mechanisms of bacterial adaptation. Examples include references to mutations in the tnaA gene that induce heat shock responses, which demonstrate how damaging mutations can unexpectedly confer survival advantages, emphasizing the paper's impact on understanding bacterial evolution and genetic flexibility.

AgreementStrong agreement

All discussions strongly support the article's findings, emphasizing the role of gene erosion in bacterial adaptability.

InterestHigh interest

Participants express high interest, citing examples of how disruptive mutations can paradoxically enhance bacterial fitness.

EngagementHigh engagement

Some posts delve into experimental details and implications, showing deep engagement with the research, such as mentioning specific genes like tnaA and heat shock proteins.

ImpactHigh impact

The discussions highlight the significant implications of this research for understanding bacterial evolution and potential applications in microbiology and medicine.

Abstract in brief

  • Gene erosion, or the loss of gene function, can sometimes lead to new beneficial traits in bacteria, such as increased heat resistance.
  • Experiments with E. coli showed that single mutations in the tnaA gene, which initially seemed harmful because they caused protein misfolding, actually triggered heat shock protein (HSP) expression, helping the bacteria survive heat stress.
  • This study highlights that even mutations that damage proteins can indirectly promote bacterial survival by activating protective mechanisms, illustrating a surprising pathway for adaptive evolution.
Read the full abstract

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
mBio
@mbiojournal · X

Gene Erosion Can Lead to Gain-of-Function Alleles That Contribute to Bacterial Fitness https://t.co/PUSZte92Nl https://t.co/ysVcOFD1FA

Jul 12, 2021 · 18 likes · 8 shares · 27,178 followers View post →
ASM
@ASMicrobiology · X

As exemplified by random mutations in E. coli, mutations with disruptive effects on protein structure and function still yield true gain-of-function alleles that increase bacterial fitness. @mBioJournal https://t.co/OWNIwbiNFQ https://t.co/iTuEQ14ltP

Jul 12, 2021 · 15 likes · 9 shares · 91,184 followers View post →
Cameron Thrash
@jcamthrash · X

Gene Erosion Can Lead to Gain-of-Function Alleles That Contribute to Bacterial Fitness https://t.co/T5IImvjjwa

Jul 8, 2021 · 4 likes · 2 shares · 17,473 followers View post →
Huiluo Cao 曹慧荦
@hlcao · X

Gene Erosion Can Lead to Gain-of-Function Alleles That Contribute to Bacterial Fitness | mBio https://t.co/OfvISzvkAr

Jul 12, 2021 · 1 like · 2,837 followers View post →
Alf-Soler-microbiotweets
@alfonsosoler79 · X

RT @mbiojournal: Gene Erosion Can Lead to Gain-of-Function Alleles That Contribute to Bacterial Fitness https://t.co/PUSZte92Nl https://t.c…

Jul 12, 2021 · 8 shares · 1,773 followers View post →
Manuel Sánchez
@ManoloSanchezA · X

RT @mbiojournal: Gene Erosion Can Lead to Gain-of-Function Alleles That Contribute to Bacterial Fitness https://t.co/PUSZte92Nl https://t.c…

Jul 12, 2021 · 8 shares · 1,725 followers View post →

All mentions

MicroBhagwat
@microBhagwat · X

RT @mbiojournal: Gene Erosion Can Lead to Gain-of-Function Alleles That Contribute to Bacterial Fitness https://t.co/PUSZte92Nl https://t.c…

Jul 13, 2021 · 8 shares · 109 followers View post →
Kojo O. Antwi
@KojoAbrantepa · X

RT @ASMicrobiology: As exemplified by random mutations in E. coli, mutations with disruptive effects on protein structure and function stil…

Jul 12, 2021 · 9 shares · 46 followers View post →
ASM Texas Medical Center Chapter
@asm_tmc · X

RT @ASMicrobiology: As exemplified by random mutations in E. coli, mutations with disruptive effects on protein structure and function stil…

Jul 12, 2021 · 9 shares · 814 followers View post →
MTC
@manteks_Sc · X

RT @ASMicrobiology: As exemplified by random mutations in E. coli, mutations with disruptive effects on protein structure and function stil…

Jul 12, 2021 · 9 shares · 6 followers View post →
Alf-Soler-microbiotweets
@alfonsosoler79 · X

RT @mbiojournal: Gene Erosion Can Lead to Gain-of-Function Alleles That Contribute to Bacterial Fitness https://t.co/PUSZte92Nl https://t.c…

Jul 12, 2021 · 8 shares · 1,773 followers View post →
Jan LM
@jlm0825 · X

RT @ASMicrobiology: As exemplified by random mutations in E. coli, mutations with disruptive effects on protein structure and function stil…

Jul 12, 2021 · 9 shares · 81 followers View post →
ASM
@ASMicrobiology · X

As exemplified by random mutations in E. coli, mutations with disruptive effects on protein structure and function still yield true gain-of-function alleles that increase bacterial fitness. @mBioJournal https://t.co/OWNIwbiNFQ https://t.co/iTuEQ14ltP

Jul 12, 2021 · 15 likes · 9 shares · 91,184 followers View post →
Huiluo Cao 曹慧荦
@hlcao · X

Gene Erosion Can Lead to Gain-of-Function Alleles That Contribute to Bacterial Fitness | mBio https://t.co/OfvISzvkAr

Jul 12, 2021 · 1 like · 2,837 followers View post →
Orietta Massidda
@orietta_mas · X

RT @mbiojournal: Gene Erosion Can Lead to Gain-of-Function Alleles That Contribute to Bacterial Fitness https://t.co/PUSZte92Nl https://t.c…

Jul 12, 2021 · 8 shares · 143 followers View post →
Oscar Torres
@OscarT32 · X

RT @mbiojournal: Gene Erosion Can Lead to Gain-of-Function Alleles That Contribute to Bacterial Fitness https://t.co/PUSZte92Nl https://t.c…

Jul 12, 2021 · 8 shares · 68 followers View post →
Julien Mortier
@JulienMortier1 · X

RT @mbiojournal: Gene Erosion Can Lead to Gain-of-Function Alleles That Contribute to Bacterial Fitness https://t.co/PUSZte92Nl https://t.c…

Jul 12, 2021 · 8 shares · 13 followers View post →
Manuel Sánchez
@ManoloSanchezA · X

RT @mbiojournal: Gene Erosion Can Lead to Gain-of-Function Alleles That Contribute to Bacterial Fitness https://t.co/PUSZte92Nl https://t.c…

Jul 12, 2021 · 8 shares · 1,725 followers View post →
mBio
@mbiojournal · X

Gene Erosion Can Lead to Gain-of-Function Alleles That Contribute to Bacterial Fitness https://t.co/PUSZte92Nl https://t.co/ysVcOFD1FA

Jul 12, 2021 · 18 likes · 8 shares · 27,178 followers View post →
Ilnam Kang
@ilnam_kang · X

RT @jcamthrash: Gene Erosion Can Lead to Gain-of-Function Alleles That Contribute to Bacterial Fitness https://t.co/T5IImvjjwa

Jul 8, 2021 · 2 shares · 235 followers View post →
elaina graham
@perilousUnknown · X

https://t.co/tdV7kn2Pmi

Jul 8, 2021 · 536 followers View post →
Cameron Thrash
@jcamthrash · X

Gene Erosion Can Lead to Gain-of-Function Alleles That Contribute to Bacterial Fitness https://t.co/T5IImvjjwa

Jul 8, 2021 · 4 likes · 2 shares · 17,473 followers View post →