Mutation and Adaptability

Mutation and Adaptability

Mutation and Adaptability
The selection of spontaneous mutants by the environment and the exchange of plasmids (we shall refer to these DNA molecules later in this chapter) between organisms can occur more quickly in l11icroorganisms. This may result into a rapid change in the genotype of the dominant organism in a population of cells. As compared with higher organisms the mutation rates in microbes are higher, and spread of newly acquired characteristics occurs at faster rate. This is due to the following:

( 1) Most microbes are haploid, thus mutations cannot be masked by allelic gene.

(2) They are unicellular, so many mutated cells tan give rise to a new evolutionary line.

(3) Microbes can occur in high densities in restricted environments, where a mutant may have a selective advantage.

(4) Microbes grow very rapidly.

(5) Plasmid transfer is common, thus new traits do not have to be acquired byall organisms by a long process of mutation and evolution. Due to above said characteristics, microbes, particularly prokaryotes, are able to adapt themselves to a wide variety of extreme environments

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