Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
143364 | Trends in Ecology & Evolution | 2008 | 4 Pages |
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.
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Authors
Joel L. Sachs,