Here, we provide the first estimation of the spontaneous mutation rate, μ, in Picochlorum costavermella (Trebouxiophyceae), a green alga with many potential biotechnological applications. Several algal species that have a high biotechnological potential, such those producing high-value molecules, might be improved by domestication and oriented selection by experimental evolution.
In this context, the role of spontaneous mutations in the generation of genetic diversity in cultured algae has so far been overlooked, despite its influence on the acquisition and maintenance of desirable phenotypic traits. This process occurs in natural populations, but also in any lab cultures. New mutations are submitted to selection and drift and their probability of fixation in a population depends on their advantageous, deleterious or neutral fitness effect. The number of mutations in a population depends of the mutation rate, noted μ, a key parameter for understanding the evolutionary and adaptive capacity of a species. Mutations are the main origin of the biodiversity and biological innovations across the tree of life.
0 kommentar(er)
