Grochau-Wright, Z.I.; Nedelcu, A.M.; Michod, R.E. The Genetics of Fitness Reorganization during the Transition to Multicellularity: The Volvocine regA-like Family as a Model. Genes2023, 14, 941.
Grochau-Wright, Z.I.; Nedelcu, A.M.; Michod, R.E. The Genetics of Fitness Reorganization during the Transition to Multicellularity: The Volvocine regA-like Family as a Model. Genes 2023, 14, 941.
Grochau-Wright, Z.I.; Nedelcu, A.M.; Michod, R.E. The Genetics of Fitness Reorganization during the Transition to Multicellularity: The Volvocine regA-like Family as a Model. Genes2023, 14, 941.
Grochau-Wright, Z.I.; Nedelcu, A.M.; Michod, R.E. The Genetics of Fitness Reorganization during the Transition to Multicellularity: The Volvocine regA-like Family as a Model. Genes 2023, 14, 941.
Abstract
The evolutionary transition from single-celled to multicellular individuality requires organismal fitness to shift from the cell-level to the cell group. This reorganization of fitness occurs by allocating the two components of fitness, survival and reproduction, between two specialized cell types in the multicellular group – soma and germ, respectively. How does the genetic basis for such fitness reorganization evolve? One possible mechanism is the co-option of life-history genes present in the unicellular ancestors of a multicellular lineage. Single-celled organisms must regulate their investment in survival and reproduction in response to environmental changes, particularly decreasing reproduction to ensure survival when stressed. Such stress response life-history genes can provide the foundation for the genetic basis for cellular differentiation in multicellular lineages. The regA gene family in volvocine green algae provides a model system to study how this co-option occurs. We discuss the origin and evolution of the volvocine regA gene family, including regA – the gene that controls somatic cell development in the model organism Volvox carteri. We hypothesize that the co-option of life history trade-off genes is a general mechanism involved in the transition to multicellular individuality, making volvocine algae and the regA family a useful template for similar investigations in other lineages.
Biology and Life Sciences, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
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