Escherichia coli long-term evolution in the mouse gut

Escherichia coli K12 (MG1655) was inoculated into four specific pathogen-free mice. At days 136, 148 and 190 post-colonization, several clones were isolated and their whole-genome sequenced. In one of the mice, we detect the emergence of mutator clones, with up to ~1000 fold increase in mutation rate. This project aimed to understand the evolutionary dynamics of mutator bacteria.