Phylogeography and sexual macrocyst formation in the social amoeba Dictyostelium giganteum.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Microorganisms are ubiquitous, yet we are only beginning to understand their diversity and population structure. Social amoebae (Dictyostelia) are a diverse group of unicellular eukaryotic microbes that display a unique social behaviour upon starvation in which cells congregate and then some die to help others survive and disperse. The genetic relationships among co-occurring cells have a major influence on the evolution of social traits and recent population genetic analysis found extensive genetic variation and possible cryptic speciation in one dictyostelid species (Dictyostelium purpureum). To further characterize the interplay among genetic variation, species boundaries, social behaviour, and reproductive isolation in the Dictyostelia, we conducted phylogenetic anal

SUBMITTER: Mehdiabadi NJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2824659 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature