Feiqiao Brian Yu

Abstract Gut bacteria rapidly evolve in vivo, but their long-term success requires dispersal across hosts. Here, we quantify this interplay by tracking >50,000 genomically barcoded lineages of the prevalent commensal Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (Bt) among co-housed mice. We find that adaptive mutations rapidly spread between hosts, overcoming the natural colonization resistance of resident Bt strains.

Abstract Bacterial genome dynamics are vital for understanding the mechanisms underlying microbial adaptation, growth, and their broader impact on host phenotype. Structural variants (SVs), genomic alterations of 10 base pairs or more, play a pivotal role in driving evolutionary processes and maintaining genomic heterogeneity within bacterial populations.

Nucleic Acid Cleavage with a Hyperthermophilic Cas9 from an Unculturable Ignavibacterium Stephanie Tzouanas Schmidt, Feiqiao Brian Yu, Paul C Blainey, Andrew P May, Stephen R Quake bioRxiv 555169; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/555169