The Order of Trait Emergence in the Evolution of Cyanobacterial Multicellularity.

ABSTRACT: The transition from unicellular to multicellular organisms is one of the most significant events in the history of life. Key to this process is the emergence of Darwinian individuality at the higher level: Groups must become single entities capable of reproduction for selection to shape their evolution. Evolutionary transitions in individuality are characterized by cooperation between the lower level entities and by division of labor. Theory suggests that division of labor may drive the transition to multicellularity by eliminating the trade off between two incompatible processes that cannot be performed simultaneously in one cell. Here, we examine the evolution of the most ancient multicellular transition known today, that of cyanobacteria, where we reconstruct the sequence of ecological

SUBMITTER: Hammerschmidt K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7937182 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature