Whole-genome sequencing of Rhodospirillum rubrum S1 laboratory strains reveals significant differences to the reference genome
The aim of this experiment was to analyze the degree of mutations in Rhodospirillum rubrum S1 wild-type strains as the result of long-term laboratory cultivation and serial passaging. Laboratory cultivation imposes selective pressures that drive rapid bacterial evolution, compromising experimental reproducibility. We investigated phenotypic and genomic divergence in two R. rubrum S1 laboratory strains originally obtained from the same collection. Both strains harbored shared deviations from the reference genome. The recently acquired strain exhibited few additional mutations, including a fliF frameshift abolishing motility. The second, long-maintained strain, by contrast, was motile but possessed numerous unique variations, particularly within stress-responsive histidine kinases. Thus, routine passaging and cultivation practices facilitate rapid genomic drift in R. rubrum, highlighting the need for immediate cryopreservation and minimal serial cultivation to maintain genomic integrity.
The aim of this experiment was to analyze the degree of mutations in Rhodospirillum rubrum S1 wild-type strains as the result of long-term laboratory cultivation and serial passaging. Laboratory cultivation imposes selective pressures that drive rapid bacterial evolution, compromising experimental reproducibility. We investigated phenotypic and genomic divergence in two R. rubrum S1 laboratory strains originally obtained from the same collection. Both strains harbored shared deviations from the reference genome. The recently acquired strain exhibited few additional mutations, including a fliF frameshift abolishing motility. The second, long-maintained strain, by contrast, was motile but possessed numerous unique variations, particularly within stress-responsive histidine kinases. Thus, routine passaging and cultivation practices facilitate rapid genomic drift in R. rubrum, highlighting the need for immediate cryopreservation and minimal serial cultivation to maintain genomic integrity.