Document Detail


High relatedness maintains multicellular cooperation in a social amoeba by controlling cheater mutants.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  17496139     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The control of cheating is important for understanding major transitions in evolution, from the simplest genes to the most complex societies. Cooperative systems can be ruined if cheaters that lower group productivity are able to spread. Kin-selection theory predicts that high genetic relatedness can limit cheating, because separation of cheaters and cooperators limits opportunities to cheat and promotes selection against low-fitness groups of cheaters. Here, we confirm this prediction for the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum; relatedness in natural wild groups is so high that socially destructive cheaters should not spread. We illustrate in the laboratory how high relatedness can control a mutant that would destroy cooperation at low relatedness. Finally, we demonstrate that, as predicted, mutant cheaters do not normally harm cooperation in a natural population. Our findings show how altruism is preserved from the disruptive effects of such mutant cheaters and how exceptionally high relatedness among cells is important in promoting the cooperation that underlies multicellular development.
Authors:
Owen M Gilbert; Kevin R Foster; Natasha J Mehdiabadi; Joan E Strassmann; David C Queller
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.     Date:  2007-05-11
Journal Detail:
Title:  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America     Volume:  104     ISSN:  0027-8424     ISO Abbreviation:  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.     Publication Date:  2007 May 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2007-05-23     Completed Date:  2007-08-01     Revised Date:  2009-11-18    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7505876     Medline TA:  Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  8913-7     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Rice University, MS 170, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA. og@rice.edu
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Animals
Dictyostelium / genetics*
Evolution, Molecular
F-Box Proteins / genetics,  metabolism
Mutant Chimeric Proteins / genetics
Mutation / genetics
Protozoan Proteins / genetics,  metabolism
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
5T15 LM07093/LM/NLM NIH HHS
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/F-Box Proteins; 0/FbxA protein, Dictyostelium; 0/Mutant Chimeric Proteins; 0/Protozoan Proteins
Comments/Corrections

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