Eco-evolutionary dynamics of defense systems in mobile genetic elements: Cui bono?
Jaime Iranzo, Yuri I. Wolf, Eugene V. Koonin · 2026
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Description
Jaime Iranzo and colleagues ask in 2026 why mobile DNA parasites inside bacteria so often carry defense systems of their own. Viruses, plasmids, and jumping genes move between cells and drive much bacterial evolution. Many carry tools that block rival parasites, sometimes more often than the host chromosome does.
Their math model points to rivalry between the mobile elements themselves as the key force. Mild rivals carry cheap defenses that also shield the host cell from worse attackers. Fierce rivals carry costly weapons that help them replace competitors, even while harming the host and the wider population. Host cells may still gain in the long run, because rough new defenses can later be polished into cheap, useful ones.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Jaime Iranzo, Yuri I. Wolf, Eugene V. Koonin |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 47 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |