Evolution of multicellularity by collective integration of spatial information
At the origin of multicellularity, cells may have evolved aggregation in response to predation, for functional specialisation or to allow large-scale integration of environmental cues. These group-level properties emerged from the interactions between cells in a group, and determined the selection p...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
2020-10-01
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| Series: | eLife |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://elifesciences.org/articles/56349 |
| _version_ | 1811201455782100992 |
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| author | Enrico Sandro Colizzi Renske MA Vroomans Roeland MH Merks |
| author_facet | Enrico Sandro Colizzi Renske MA Vroomans Roeland MH Merks |
| author_sort | Enrico Sandro Colizzi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | At the origin of multicellularity, cells may have evolved aggregation in response to predation, for functional specialisation or to allow large-scale integration of environmental cues. These group-level properties emerged from the interactions between cells in a group, and determined the selection pressures experienced by these cells. We investigate the evolution of multicellularity with an evolutionary model where cells search for resources by chemotaxis in a shallow, noisy gradient. Cells can evolve their adhesion to others in a periodically changing environment, where a cell’s fitness solely depends on its distance from the gradient source. We show that multicellular aggregates evolve because they perform chemotaxis more efficiently than single cells. Only when the environment changes too frequently, a unicellular state evolves which relies on cell dispersal. Both strategies prevent the invasion of the other through interference competition, creating evolutionary bi-stability. Therefore, collective behaviour can be an emergent selective driver for undifferentiated multicellularity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T02:20:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-213d873fa2014dd696898345462f951d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-084X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T02:20:52Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | eLife Sciences Publications Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | eLife |
| spelling | doaj.art-213d873fa2014dd696898345462f951d2022-12-22T03:52:07ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2020-10-01910.7554/eLife.56349Evolution of multicellularity by collective integration of spatial informationEnrico Sandro Colizzi0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1709-4499Renske MA Vroomans1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1353-797XRoeland MH Merks2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6152-687XMathematical Institute, Leiden University; Origins Center, Leiden, NetherlandsInformatics Institute, University of Amsterdam; Origins Center, Amsterdam, NetherlandsMathematical Institute, Leiden University; Institute of Biology, Leiden University; Origins Center, Leiden, NetherlandsAt the origin of multicellularity, cells may have evolved aggregation in response to predation, for functional specialisation or to allow large-scale integration of environmental cues. These group-level properties emerged from the interactions between cells in a group, and determined the selection pressures experienced by these cells. We investigate the evolution of multicellularity with an evolutionary model where cells search for resources by chemotaxis in a shallow, noisy gradient. Cells can evolve their adhesion to others in a periodically changing environment, where a cell’s fitness solely depends on its distance from the gradient source. We show that multicellular aggregates evolve because they perform chemotaxis more efficiently than single cells. Only when the environment changes too frequently, a unicellular state evolves which relies on cell dispersal. Both strategies prevent the invasion of the other through interference competition, creating evolutionary bi-stability. Therefore, collective behaviour can be an emergent selective driver for undifferentiated multicellularity.https://elifesciences.org/articles/56349evolutionmulticellularitycollective behaviour |
| spellingShingle | Enrico Sandro Colizzi Renske MA Vroomans Roeland MH Merks Evolution of multicellularity by collective integration of spatial information eLife evolution multicellularity collective behaviour |
| title | Evolution of multicellularity by collective integration of spatial information |
| title_full | Evolution of multicellularity by collective integration of spatial information |
| title_fullStr | Evolution of multicellularity by collective integration of spatial information |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evolution of multicellularity by collective integration of spatial information |
| title_short | Evolution of multicellularity by collective integration of spatial information |
| title_sort | evolution of multicellularity by collective integration of spatial information |
| topic | evolution multicellularity collective behaviour |
| url | https://elifesciences.org/articles/56349 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT enricosandrocolizzi evolutionofmulticellularitybycollectiveintegrationofspatialinformation AT renskemavroomans evolutionofmulticellularitybycollectiveintegrationofspatialinformation AT roelandmhmerks evolutionofmulticellularitybycollectiveintegrationofspatialinformation |