Not childish arms racing: as bacteria and virus competitions broke evolution

Although humanity seems to increase technological progress daily, there is a race of progress in the bowels of nature, which overshadows any of our attempts to accelerate anything. In a recent study, rapid evolutionary processes have been observed in controlled laboratory conditions. Unlike the concept of Charles Darwin about gradual evolution, this study has demonstrated that evolutionary changes can happen quickly, writes Sciencedaily. In focus, technology appeared its Telegram channel.

Subscribe to not miss the most info and interesting news from the world of science! Using a small laboratory flask with Escherichia coli bacteria and bacteriophage viruses, researchers observed an accelerated evolutionary arms race. Within three weeks, several generations of evolutionary adaptations have been noted, which refutes the traditional idea of ​​slow evolution.

The study conducted by Joshua Borin and Justin Meyer from the Biological School of Biological Sciences of the University of California in San Diego testifies to the emergence of complex environmental networks from simple interactions. Meyer stressed that the study shows how complex ecological schemes develop, similar to those that occur in various ecosystems, such as savannahs, tropical forests or oceans.

Bacteria and viruses have demonstrated two key evolutionary patterns: Investment, when specialized interactions are embedded in wider general interactions, and modularity when interactions together form separate groups. The results have coincided with complex patterns, which are observed in the ecological interactions of bacteria and viruses on a larger scale, which surprised the researchers.

Such rapid evolution also has consequences outside the laboratory, as can be seen in the example of the continuing evolution of such pathogens as Sars-COV-2. These discoveries change the methods of treatment and understanding of the evolution of microorganisms. In addition, Meyer and his colleague Joshua Weitz study the possibilities of using artificial intelligence to study phage therapy, especially in connection with the increasing problem of antibiotic resistance.

Their research is aimed at understanding what mutations lead to infection and resistance, as well as the potential finding of certain therapeutic agents. This study emphasizes the dynamic nature of evolution and its role in the formation of complex ecological networks from simple, seemingly beginnings. Earlier, focus wrote that the bird flu is not only a bird's flu. He reached the mink and sea lions. Focus also wrote about where so many viruses came from. There are currently about 1.