Multiple pathways to the evolution of positive assortment in aggregative multicellularity.

ABSTRACT: The evolutionary transition to multicellularity requires shifting the primary unit of selection from cells to multicellular collectives. How this occurs in aggregative organisms remains poorly understood. Clonal development provides a direct path to multicellular adaptation through genetic identity between cells, but aggregative organisms face a constraint: selection on collective-level traits cannot drive adaptation without positive genetic assortment. We leveraged experimental evolution of flocculating Saccharomyces cerevisiae to examine the evolution and role of genetic assortment in multicellular adaptation. After 840 generations of selection for rapid settling, 13 of 19 lineages evolved increased positive assortment relative to their ancestor. However, assortment provided no co

SUBMITTER: Stoy KS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11870530 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature