Accumulation of deleterious mutations during bacterial range expansions. Escherichia coli str. K-12 substr. MG1655

Most living species have experienced spatial expansions since their origin, and environmental changes has affected the range of many species. Even though most populations are thought to go through specific adaptations during these expansions, recent theoretical work has suggested that deleterious mutations could accumulate and negatively affect the fitness of these expanding and successful species. This research project investigates the genetic consequences of such range expansions using an experimental evolution approach with the bacterium Escherichia coli.