Among-population standard deviation of fitness after 10,000 generations

Range ≈0.05 unitless (units uncertain)
Organism Bacteria Escherichia coli
Reference Lenski RE, Travisano M. Dynamics of adaptation and diversification: a 10,000-generation experiment with bacterial populations. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1994 Jul 19 91(15):6808-14. p.6812 left column 2nd paragraphPubMed ID8041701
Method "Twelve populations of E. coli B were propagated in replicate environments for 1500 days (10,000 generations). Each population was founded by a single cell from an asexual clone, and so there was initially no genetic variation either within or between replicate populations (except for a neutral marker used to identify populations). The experimental environment consisted of a serial transfer regime, in which populations were diluted (1:100) each day into 10 ml of a glucose-limited minimal salts medium that supports ˜5x10^7 cells per ml. Populations were maintained at 37°C with aeration. Every day, the bacteria underwent a lag phase prior to growth, followed by a period of sustained growth, eventual depletion of the limiting glucose, and starvation until the next serial transfer. The 1:100 dilution permits ˜6.6 (log2[100]) cell generations per day. Samples from each population were periodically stored at -80°C, along with the common ancestor...Fitness is the most important property of any organism according to evolutionary theory. The mean fitness of a population was obtained by allowing it to compete against the common ancestor. Relative fitness was then calculated as the ratio of the competitors' realized rates of increase (Malthusian parameters)."
Comments "After 10,000 generations, the among-population standard deviation for fitness was ˜0.05, while the average fitness gain from the ancestral state was ˜0.48."
Entered by Uri M
ID 110463