Evolution and regulation of microbial secondary metabolism.

Microbes have disproportionate impacts on the macroscopic world. This is in part due to their ability to grow to large populations that collectively secrete massive amounts of secondary metabolites and alter their environment. Yet, the conditions favoring secondary metabolism despite the potential costs for primary metabolism remain unclear.

In Silico Exploration of Metabolic Networks Shows Host-Associated Convergent Fluxomic Phenotypes.

, the causative agent of tuberculosis, is composed of several lineages characterized by a genome identity higher than 99%. Although the majority of the lineages are associated with humans, at least four lineages are adapted to other mammals, including different ecotypes. Host specificity is associated with higher virulence in its preferred host in ecotypes such as .