Resolving the first steps to multicellularity

Multicellular life has evolved many times, yet each origin requires free cells to integrate unselfishly into a higher-level individual. How can such transitions evolve? In a new paper, Herron and Michod investigate the recent origins of multicellularity in colonial algae. Their phylogenetic reconstr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Trends in ecology & evolution (Amsterdam) 2008-05, Vol.23 (5), p.245-248
Main Author: Sachs, Joel L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Biological and medical sciences
Biological Evolution
Chlorophyta - cytology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General aspects
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Summary:Multicellular life has evolved many times, yet each origin requires free cells to integrate unselfishly into a higher-level individual. How can such transitions evolve? In a new paper, Herron and Michod investigate the recent origins of multicellularity in colonial algae. Their phylogenetic reconstructions provide a striking dissection of early steps, and altruistic traits are at the crux of it. Key evolutionary reversals are also revealed, where cellular selfishness might have thwarted multicellular integration.
ISSN:0169-5347
1872-8383
DOI:10.1016/j.tree.2008.02.003