The Genetics of Fitness Reorganization during the Transition to Multicellularity: The Volvocine <i>regA</i>-like Family as a Model
The evolutionary transition from single-celled to multicellular individuality requires organismal fitness to shift from the cell level to a cell group. This reorganization of fitness occurs by re-allocating the two components of fitness, survival and reproduction, between two specialized cell types...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Genes |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/14/4/941 |
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| author | Zachariah I. Grochau-Wright Aurora M. Nedelcu Richard E. Michod |
| author_facet | Zachariah I. Grochau-Wright Aurora M. Nedelcu Richard E. Michod |
| author_sort | Zachariah I. Grochau-Wright |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The evolutionary transition from single-celled to multicellular individuality requires organismal fitness to shift from the cell level to a cell group. This reorganization of fitness occurs by re-allocating the two components of fitness, survival and reproduction, between two specialized cell types in the multicellular group: soma and germ, respectively. How does the genetic basis for such fitness reorganization evolve? One possible mechanism is the co-option of life history genes present in the unicellular ancestors of a multicellular lineage. For instance, single-celled organisms must regulate their investment in survival and reproduction in response to environmental changes, particularly decreasing reproduction to ensure survival under stress. Such stress response life history genes can provide the genetic basis for the evolution of cellular differentiation in multicellular lineages. The <i>regA</i>-like gene family in the volvocine green algal lineage provides an excellent model system to study how this co-option can occur. We discuss the origin and evolution of the volvocine <i>regA</i>-like gene family, including <i>regA</i>—the gene that controls somatic cell development in the model organism <i>Volvox carteri</i>. We hypothesize that the co-option of life history trade-off genes is a general mechanism involved in the transition to multicellular individuality, making volvocine algae and the <i>regA</i>-like family a useful template for similar investigations in other lineages. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:59:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7cfed64bd9394c26af206aad4d645e0a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4425 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:59:06Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Genes |
| spelling | doaj.art-7cfed64bd9394c26af206aad4d645e0a2023-11-17T19:24:47ZengMDPI AGGenes2073-44252023-04-0114494110.3390/genes14040941The Genetics of Fitness Reorganization during the Transition to Multicellularity: The Volvocine <i>regA</i>-like Family as a ModelZachariah I. Grochau-Wright0Aurora M. Nedelcu1Richard E. Michod2Department of Biology, The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ 08628, USABiology Department, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, CanadaDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USAThe evolutionary transition from single-celled to multicellular individuality requires organismal fitness to shift from the cell level to a cell group. This reorganization of fitness occurs by re-allocating the two components of fitness, survival and reproduction, between two specialized cell types in the multicellular group: soma and germ, respectively. How does the genetic basis for such fitness reorganization evolve? One possible mechanism is the co-option of life history genes present in the unicellular ancestors of a multicellular lineage. For instance, single-celled organisms must regulate their investment in survival and reproduction in response to environmental changes, particularly decreasing reproduction to ensure survival under stress. Such stress response life history genes can provide the genetic basis for the evolution of cellular differentiation in multicellular lineages. The <i>regA</i>-like gene family in the volvocine green algal lineage provides an excellent model system to study how this co-option can occur. We discuss the origin and evolution of the volvocine <i>regA</i>-like gene family, including <i>regA</i>—the gene that controls somatic cell development in the model organism <i>Volvox carteri</i>. We hypothesize that the co-option of life history trade-off genes is a general mechanism involved in the transition to multicellular individuality, making volvocine algae and the <i>regA</i>-like family a useful template for similar investigations in other lineages.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/14/4/941multicellularitycellular differentiationlife historyindividualitygene co-option<i>Volvox</i> |
| spellingShingle | Zachariah I. Grochau-Wright Aurora M. Nedelcu Richard E. Michod The Genetics of Fitness Reorganization during the Transition to Multicellularity: The Volvocine <i>regA</i>-like Family as a Model Genes multicellularity cellular differentiation life history individuality gene co-option <i>Volvox</i> |
| title | The Genetics of Fitness Reorganization during the Transition to Multicellularity: The Volvocine <i>regA</i>-like Family as a Model |
| title_full | The Genetics of Fitness Reorganization during the Transition to Multicellularity: The Volvocine <i>regA</i>-like Family as a Model |
| title_fullStr | The Genetics of Fitness Reorganization during the Transition to Multicellularity: The Volvocine <i>regA</i>-like Family as a Model |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Genetics of Fitness Reorganization during the Transition to Multicellularity: The Volvocine <i>regA</i>-like Family as a Model |
| title_short | The Genetics of Fitness Reorganization during the Transition to Multicellularity: The Volvocine <i>regA</i>-like Family as a Model |
| title_sort | genetics of fitness reorganization during the transition to multicellularity the volvocine i rega i like family as a model |
| topic | multicellularity cellular differentiation life history individuality gene co-option <i>Volvox</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/14/4/941 |
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