Cellular packing, mechanical stress and the evolution of multicellularity.

ABSTRACT: The evolution of multicellularity set the stage for sustained increases in organismal complexity^1-5. However, a fundamental aspect of this transition remains largely unknown: how do simple clusters of cells evolve increased size when confronted by forces capable of breaking intracellular bonds? Here we show that multicellular snowflake yeast clusters^6-8 fracture due to crowding-induced mechanical stress. Over seven weeks (~291 generations) of daily selection for large size, snowflake clusters evolve to increase their radius 1.7-fold by reducing the accumulation of internal stress. During this period, cells within the clusters evolve to be more elongated, concomitant with a decrease in the cellular volume fraction of the clusters. The associated increase in free space

SUBMITTER: Jacobeen S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6853058 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature