A recurrent theme in evolutionary biology is to contrast natural selection and developmental
constraint–two forces pitted against each other as competing explanations for organismal …

In the present review, we describe and compare the molecular mechanisms that are
involved in the regulation of biofilm formation by P seudomonas putida, P seudomonas …

Bet hedging—stochastic switching between phenotypic states,,—is a canonical example of
an evolutionary adaptation that facilitates persistence in the face of fluctuating environmental …

Plasmids drive genomic diversity in bacteria via horizontal gene transfer [1, 2]; nevertheless,
explaining their survival in bacterial populations is challenging [3]. Theory predicts that …

Microbial experimental evolution uses controlled laboratory populations to study the
mechanisms of evolution. The molecular analysis of evolved populations enables empirical …

Niches are spaces for the biological units of selection, from cells to complex communities. In
a broad sense,“species” are biological units of individuation. Niches do not exist without …

Microbial biofilms are a fascinating subject, due to their significant roles in the environment,
industry, and health. Advances in biochemical and molecular techniques have helped in …

Cooperation is central to the emergence of multicellular life; however, the means by which
the earliest collectives (groups of cells) maintained integrity in the face of destructive …

Ecology affects each of the three principal processes leading to speciation: genetic
differentiation among populations within species, acquisition of reproductive isolation …

Biofilms are a major form of microbial life in which cells form dense surface associated
communities that can persist for many generations. The long-life of biofilm communities …