Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
143364 Trends in Ecology & Evolution 2008 4 Pages PDF
Abstract

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.

Related Topics
Life Sciences Agricultural and Biological Sciences Agricultural and Biological Sciences (General)
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