Objective Understanding the properties of beneficial mutations is essential for a better understanding of adaptive evolution, since these mutations are the fuel of adaptation. Not only their individual fitness properties are important, but also their combined effect on fitness, which may deviate from the additive or multiplicative expectation that is often assumed in population genetic models. For instance, if the sign of the fitness effect of mutations (i.e. positive or negative) depends on the presence of other mutations, called sign epistasis, such interactions present an adaptive landscape with multiple fitness peaks, where the number of mutational pathways leading to higher fitness is constrained. Yet, empirical studies of beneficial mutations and their interactions are scarce, because beneficial mutations are rare and often inaccessible to experimental study, particularly the study of their interactions. Here, I propose to study the properties of beneficial mutations in experiments with the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans. Using previously developed protocols to isolate beneficial mutations and to construct mutants with all possible combinations of beneficial mutations, we seek to study how selected mutations at the same (dominance) and different loci (epistasis) interact in determining fitness. The resulting data set will be one of the first presenting direct empirical information on the topography of the fitness landscape underlying adaptation. Fields of science natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyplanetary sciencesplanetary geologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologymycologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsmutationengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuels Programme(s) FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IIF - Marie Curie Action: "International Incoming Fellowships" Call for proposal FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IIF See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MC-IIF - International Incoming Fellowships (IIF) Coordinator WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY EU contribution € 169 535,20 Address DROEVENDAALSESTEEG 4 6708 PB Wageningen Netherlands See on map Region Oost-Nederland Gelderland Veluwe Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Oscar Van Rootselaar (Mr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data
