Review
Version 1
Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed
Group Maintenance in Aggregative Multicellularity
Version 1
: Received: 10 March 2021 / Approved: 11 March 2021 / Online: 11 March 2021 (11:51:08 CET)
How to cite: Jahan, I.; Larsen, T.; Strassmann, J.; Queller, D. Group Maintenance in Aggregative Multicellularity . Preprints 2021, 2021030318. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202103.0318.v1 Jahan, I.; Larsen, T.; Strassmann, J.; Queller, D. Group Maintenance in Aggregative Multicellularity . Preprints 2021, 2021030318. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202103.0318.v1
Abstract
Aggregative multicellularity occurs when dispersed cells join together to form a highly cooperative unit, in contrast to clonal multicellular organisms formed by cells that remain in contact after descent from a single cell. Because aggregative groups may include non-relatives, aggregative multicellular organisms should be particularly vulnerable to the rise of cheater cells that take advantage of social goods without paying the costs, reducing cooperation, and even threatening extinction. We review the key mechanisms by which aggregative multicellular organisms control cheaters with a focus on the best studied aggregative organisms, Myxococcus xanthus and Dictyostelium discoideum. These include various passive and active mechanisms to maintain high relatedness within aggregates, to enforce cooperation on aggregate members, and the costs of cheating on other key functions. Ultimately, aggregative multicellular organisms are not that different from clonal organisms descended from a single cell.
Keywords
multicellularity; social evolution; myxococcus; dictyostelium; major transitions
Subject
Biology and Life Sciences, Anatomy and Physiology
Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Comments (0)
We encourage comments and feedback from a broad range of readers. See criteria for comments and our Diversity statement.
Leave a public commentSend a private comment to the author(s)
* All users must log in before leaving a comment