T. B. Taylor

Mutational hotspots lead to robust but suboptimal adaptive outcomes in certain environments

This study shows mutational hotspots accelerate access to robust adaptive mutations in bacteria but limit exploration of potentially stronger phenotypes in specific environments.

Regulatory network structure and environmental signals constrain transcription factor innovation

The paper shows that high expression levels, not protein homology, determine rewiring potential of transcription factors in Pseudomonas fluorescens.

Evolutionary innovation through transcription factor promiscuity in microbes is constrained by pre-existing gene regulatory network architecture

The paper shows that transcription factor evolvability is constrained by pre-existing gene regulatory network architecture and identifies properties that enable functional promiscuity in microbes.

A mutational hotspot that determines highly repeatable evolution can be built and broken by silent genetic changes

The paper shows that silent mutations can create or eliminate a mutational hotspot that drives repeatable evolution in bacteria.