Microbial warfare and the evolution of symbiosis.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Patel M
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9768647 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Microbial warfare and the evolution of symbiosis.
Patel Matishalin M West Stuart S
Biology letters 20221221 12
Cooperative symbionts enable their hosts to exploit a diversity of environments. A low genetic diversity (high relatedness) between the symbionts within a host is thought to favour cooperation by reducing conflict within the host. However, hosts will not be favoured to transmit their symbionts (or commensals) in costly ways that increase relatedness, unless this also provides an immediate fitness benefit to the host. We suggest that conditionally expressed costly competitive traits, such as anti ...[more]
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