Mutations are the raw material of natural selection, providing changes that help all organisms adapt to new environments. In fact, a variety of experiments with bacteria show that strains with high rates of mutation can adapt more rapidly than their peers. But mutations can also knock out vital genes, which is why cells have many mechanisms intended to limit or repair changes in their DNA. So, how does it all balance out? New research suggests that, for E. coli, a rate of about 10 times normal provides a nice compromise.

The researchers performed ...

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