Evolutionary Principles of Bacterial Signaling Capacity and Complexity

Microbes rely on signal transduction systems to sense and respond to environmental changes for survival and reproduction. It is generally known that niche adaptation plays an important role in shaping the signaling repertoire. However, the evolution of bacterial signaling capacity lacks systematic studies with a temporal direction. In particular, it is unclear how complexity evolved from simplicity or vice versa for signaling networks. Here, we examine the evolutionary processes of major signal transduction systems in Campylobacterota (formerly Epsilonproteobacteria), a phylum with sufficient evolutionary depth and ecological diversity. We discovered that chemosensory system increases complexity by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of entire chemosensory classes, and different chemosensory classes rarely mix their components. Two-component system gains complexity by atypical histidine kinases fused with receiver domain to achieve multistep or branched signal transduction process. The presence and complexity of c-di-GMP-mediated system is related to the size of signaling network, and c-di-GMP pathways are easy to rewire, since enzymes and effectors can be linked without direct protein-protein interaction. Overall, signaling capacity and complexity rise and drop together in Campylobacterota, determined by sensory demand, genetic resources, and coevolution within the genomic context. These findings reflect plausible evolutionary principles for other cellular networks and genome evolution of the Bacteria domain. IMPORTANCE Bacteria are capable of sensing and responding to environmental changes by several signal transduction systems with different mechanisms. Much attention is paid to model organisms with complex signaling networks to understand their composition and function, but how a complicated network evolved from a simple one or vice versa lacks systematic studies. Here, we tracked the evolutionary process of each signaling system in a bacterial phylum with robust eco-evo framework and summarized the general principles of signaling network evolution. Our findings bridge the gaps in bacterial signaling capacity from highly sophisticated to extremely streamlined, shedding light on rational design of genetic circuitry. This study may serve as a paradigm to examine the complex construction of other cellular networks and genome evolution. Bacteria are capable of sensing and responding to environmental changes by several signal transduction systems with different mechanisms. Much attention is paid to model organisms with complex signaling networks to understand their composition and function, but how a complicated network evolved from a simple one or vice versa lacks systematic studies.

Automated summary

Microbes rely on signal transduction systems to sense and respond to environmental changes. The chemosensory system increases complexity through horizontal gene transfer, while the two-component system gains complexity through the fusion of histidine kinases and receiver domains. The presence and complexity of the c-di-GMP-mediated system are related to the size of the signaling network and can be easily rewired.