Brave Genomes
Microbial Genome Plasticity in the Face of Environmental Challenge
- 1st Edition - March 20, 2025
- Author: Silvia Bulgheresi
- Language: English
- Paperback ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 3 - 1 8 7 8 9 - 6
- eBook ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 3 - 1 8 7 8 8 - 9
The role of environmentally triggered genetic and epigenetic changes in microbial adaptation and evolution is still not broadly appreciated. Brave Genomes: Microbial Genome Pl… Read more
Purchase options
The role of environmentally triggered genetic and epigenetic changes in microbial adaptation and evolution is still not broadly appreciated. Brave Genomes: Microbial Genome Plasticity in the Face of Environmental Challenge narrates how microorganisms cope with environmental changes including unanticipated ones. Although it does comprise eukaryotes, it focuses on bacteria and – whenever possible – on archaea.
Among the environmentally sensitive sources of genome plasticity, the book treats tandem repeats, mutagenic break repair, transcription-associated mutagenesis and transposable elements. Additionally, it deals with epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation and regulatory RNA-based systems. These not only regulate the activity of mobile DNA, they can also synergize with it. In closing, symbiosis and genetic noise are also discussed as possible sources of phenotypic plasticity.
Brave Genomes emphasizes the role of the environment in generating genotypic and phenotypic diversity. This emerges, in turn, as the most efficient response to challenging conditions.
Among the environmentally sensitive sources of genome plasticity, the book treats tandem repeats, mutagenic break repair, transcription-associated mutagenesis and transposable elements. Additionally, it deals with epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation and regulatory RNA-based systems. These not only regulate the activity of mobile DNA, they can also synergize with it. In closing, symbiosis and genetic noise are also discussed as possible sources of phenotypic plasticity.
Brave Genomes emphasizes the role of the environment in generating genotypic and phenotypic diversity. This emerges, in turn, as the most efficient response to challenging conditions.
- Compares environmentally sensitive genetic systems across the three kingdoms of life (bacteria, archaea, eukaryotes)
- Compares environmentally sensitive epigenetic systems across the three kingdoms of life
- Brings together insights of illustrious scientists including Josep Casadésus, Remus Dame, Cedric Feschotte, William Martin, Eva Jablonka, Eugen Koonin
- Microbial symbioses and genetic noise are also treated as potential sources of phenotypic plasticity and adaptability together with more traditional sources
- Familiarizes biologists with this discipline by using a colloquial style
Bachelor, Master and PhD students and scientists in microbiology, genetics, epigenetics, microbial symbioses, Bachelor, Master and PhD students and scientists in general biology and evolutionary biology
1 – DNA main facts across the three domains of life
1.1 Genome size
1.2 Gene and repetitive DNA density and distribution
1.3 Genome partition
1.4 Chromatin architecture
1.5 Ploidy
1.6 Basics of chromosome segregation
1.7 Take home
1.8 References
2 – DNA fun facts: how, when and where it may change a bit
2.1 Basic mechanisms of mutagenesis
2.2 Mutagenesis and transcription
2.3 Stress-induced mutagenesis
2.4 Hypermutable DNA in eukaryotes
2.5 Hypermutable DNA in bacteria
2.6 Phase variable bacterial genes
2.7 Take home
2.8 References
3 – Bacterial and archaeal DNA very fun facts: how, when and where it may change a lot
3.1 Plasmid
3.2 Viruses
3.3 Basics of transposable elements in eukaryotes
3.4 Transposable elements in bacteria and archaea
3.5 When do transposable elements jump
3.6 Where do transposable elements jump to
3.7 Take home
3.8 References
4 – On top of the DNA and beyond
4.1 DNA methylation
4.2 Take home
4.3 DNA-packaging proteins
4.4 Take home
4.5 RNA-dependent systems
4.6 Bacterial RNA-dependent regulatory systems
4.7 Take home
4.8 References
5 – Biophyisical sources of phenotypic heterogeneity in bacteria
5.1 Genetic and epigenetic sources of phenotypic heterogeneity: a wrap-up
5.2 Extrinsic genetic noise
5.3 Intrinsic genetic noise
5.4 Joseph Bigger and the discovery of persister cells
5.5 Evolvability of genetic noise
5.6 Bet hedging
5.7 Take home
5.8 References
6 – The microbes and the host epigenome (and vice versa)
6.1 Microbial influence on host DNA methylation
6.2 Microbial influence on host histone modifications
6.3 Microbial influence on host regulatory RNA
6.4 Take home
6.5 Microbe-to-host RNA transfer (and vice-versa)
6.6 Microbes as epigenetic inheritance systems
6.7 Take home
6.8 References
1.1 Genome size
1.2 Gene and repetitive DNA density and distribution
1.3 Genome partition
1.4 Chromatin architecture
1.5 Ploidy
1.6 Basics of chromosome segregation
1.7 Take home
1.8 References
2 – DNA fun facts: how, when and where it may change a bit
2.1 Basic mechanisms of mutagenesis
2.2 Mutagenesis and transcription
2.3 Stress-induced mutagenesis
2.4 Hypermutable DNA in eukaryotes
2.5 Hypermutable DNA in bacteria
2.6 Phase variable bacterial genes
2.7 Take home
2.8 References
3 – Bacterial and archaeal DNA very fun facts: how, when and where it may change a lot
3.1 Plasmid
3.2 Viruses
3.3 Basics of transposable elements in eukaryotes
3.4 Transposable elements in bacteria and archaea
3.5 When do transposable elements jump
3.6 Where do transposable elements jump to
3.7 Take home
3.8 References
4 – On top of the DNA and beyond
4.1 DNA methylation
4.2 Take home
4.3 DNA-packaging proteins
4.4 Take home
4.5 RNA-dependent systems
4.6 Bacterial RNA-dependent regulatory systems
4.7 Take home
4.8 References
5 – Biophyisical sources of phenotypic heterogeneity in bacteria
5.1 Genetic and epigenetic sources of phenotypic heterogeneity: a wrap-up
5.2 Extrinsic genetic noise
5.3 Intrinsic genetic noise
5.4 Joseph Bigger and the discovery of persister cells
5.5 Evolvability of genetic noise
5.6 Bet hedging
5.7 Take home
5.8 References
6 – The microbes and the host epigenome (and vice versa)
6.1 Microbial influence on host DNA methylation
6.2 Microbial influence on host histone modifications
6.3 Microbial influence on host regulatory RNA
6.4 Take home
6.5 Microbe-to-host RNA transfer (and vice-versa)
6.6 Microbes as epigenetic inheritance systems
6.7 Take home
6.8 References
- Edition: 1
- Published: March 20, 2025
- Language: English
SB
Silvia Bulgheresi
Silvia Bulgheresi is Associate Professor in Environmental Cell Biology and independent researcher at the University of Vienna. Her research on the molecular mechanisms underlying symbiont growth, division and chromosome segregation challenged long-established bacterial cell biology tenets. Since 2008, she has been teaching environmental cell biology, microbial symbioses, as well as microbial genome plasticity to Bachelor, Master ad PhD students. It is in the effort of collecting the notes, thoughts and students’ questions that arose over two decades that this book was born.
Affiliations and expertise
Associate Professor in Environmental Cell Biology, Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, AustraliaRead Brave Genomes on ScienceDirect