RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Horizontal Gene Transfer Can Help Maintain the Equilibrium of Microbial Communities
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 201426
DO 10.1101/201426
A1 Yuhang Fan
A1 Yandong Xiao
A1 Babak Momeni
A1 Yang-Yu Liu
YR 2017
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/10/11/201426.abstract
AB Horizontal gene transfer and species coexistence are two focal points in the study of microbial communities. The evolutionary advantage of horizontal gene transfer has not been well-understood and is constantly being debated. Here we propose a simple population dynamics model based on the frequency-dependent interactions between different genotypes to evaluate the influence of horizontal gene transfer on microbial communities. We find that both structural stability and robustness of the microbial community are strongly affected by the gene transfer rate and direction. An optimal gene flux can stablize the ecosystem, helping it recover from disturbance and maintain the species coexistence.