RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Molecular evolutionary dynamics of energy limited microorganisms JF bioRxiv FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory SP 2021.02.08.430186 DO 10.1101/2021.02.08.430186 A1 Shoemaker, William R. A1 Polezhaeva, Evgeniya A1 Givens, Kenzie B. A1 Lennon, Jay T. YR 2021 UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2021/02/24/2021.02.08.430186.abstract AB Microorganisms have the unique ability to survive extended periods of time in environments with extremely low levels of exploitable energy. To determine the extent that energy limitation affects microbial evolution, we examined the molecular evolutionary dynamics of a phylogenetically diverse set of taxa over the course of 1,000-days. We found that periodic exposure to energy limitation affected the rate of molecular evolution, the accumulation of genetic diversity, and the rate of extinction. We then determined the degree that energy limitation affected the spectrum of mutations as well as the direction of evolution at the gene level. Our results suggest that the initial depletion of energy altered the direction and rate of molecular evolution within each taxon, though after the initial depletion the rate and direction did not substantially change. However, this consistent pattern became diminished when comparisons were performed across phylogenetically distant taxa, suggesting that while the dynamics of molecular evolution under energy limitation are highly generalizable across the microbial tree of life, the targets of adaptation are specific to a given taxon.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.