Multilevel selection analysis of a microbial social trait
Abstract The study of microbial communities often leads to arguments for the evolution of cooperation due to group benefits. However, multilevel selection models caution against the uncritical assumption that group benefits will lead to the evolution of cooperation. We analyze a microbial social tra...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer Nature
2013-08-01
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| Series: | Molecular Systems Biology |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/msb.2013.42 |
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| _version_ | 1849331385806880768 |
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| author | Laura de Vargas Roditi Kerry E Boyle Joao B Xavier |
| author_facet | Laura de Vargas Roditi Kerry E Boyle Joao B Xavier |
| author_sort | Laura de Vargas Roditi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The study of microbial communities often leads to arguments for the evolution of cooperation due to group benefits. However, multilevel selection models caution against the uncritical assumption that group benefits will lead to the evolution of cooperation. We analyze a microbial social trait to precisely define the conditions favoring cooperation. We combine the multilevel partition of the Price equation with a laboratory model system: swarming in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We parameterize a population dynamics model using competition experiments where we manipulate expression, and therefore the cost‐to‐benefit ratio of swarming cooperation. Our analysis shows that multilevel selection can favor costly swarming cooperation because it causes population expansion. However, due to high costs and diminishing returns constitutive cooperation can only be favored by natural selection when relatedness is high. Regulated expression of cooperative genes is a more robust strategy because it provides the benefits of swarming expansion without the high cost or the diminishing returns. Our analysis supports the key prediction that strong group selection does not necessarily mean that microbial cooperation will always emerge. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-576ebcb8a11a49d38931e7f130cae5fe |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1744-4292 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2013-08-01 |
| publisher | Springer Nature |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecular Systems Biology |
| spelling | doaj-art-576ebcb8a11a49d38931e7f130cae5fe2025-08-20T03:46:37ZengSpringer NatureMolecular Systems Biology1744-42922013-08-019111210.1038/msb.2013.42Multilevel selection analysis of a microbial social traitLaura de Vargas Roditi0Kerry E Boyle1Joao B Xavier2Program in Computational Biology, Memorial Sloan‐Kettering Cancer CenterProgram in Computational Biology, Memorial Sloan‐Kettering Cancer CenterProgram in Computational Biology, Memorial Sloan‐Kettering Cancer CenterAbstract The study of microbial communities often leads to arguments for the evolution of cooperation due to group benefits. However, multilevel selection models caution against the uncritical assumption that group benefits will lead to the evolution of cooperation. We analyze a microbial social trait to precisely define the conditions favoring cooperation. We combine the multilevel partition of the Price equation with a laboratory model system: swarming in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We parameterize a population dynamics model using competition experiments where we manipulate expression, and therefore the cost‐to‐benefit ratio of swarming cooperation. Our analysis shows that multilevel selection can favor costly swarming cooperation because it causes population expansion. However, due to high costs and diminishing returns constitutive cooperation can only be favored by natural selection when relatedness is high. Regulated expression of cooperative genes is a more robust strategy because it provides the benefits of swarming expansion without the high cost or the diminishing returns. Our analysis supports the key prediction that strong group selection does not necessarily mean that microbial cooperation will always emerge.https://doi.org/10.1038/msb.2013.42conflictcooperationmetabolic prudencePseudomonas aeruginosaswarming |
| spellingShingle | Laura de Vargas Roditi Kerry E Boyle Joao B Xavier Multilevel selection analysis of a microbial social trait Molecular Systems Biology conflict cooperation metabolic prudence Pseudomonas aeruginosa swarming |
| title | Multilevel selection analysis of a microbial social trait |
| title_full | Multilevel selection analysis of a microbial social trait |
| title_fullStr | Multilevel selection analysis of a microbial social trait |
| title_full_unstemmed | Multilevel selection analysis of a microbial social trait |
| title_short | Multilevel selection analysis of a microbial social trait |
| title_sort | multilevel selection analysis of a microbial social trait |
| topic | conflict cooperation metabolic prudence Pseudomonas aeruginosa swarming |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/msb.2013.42 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lauradevargasroditi multilevelselectionanalysisofamicrobialsocialtrait AT kerryeboyle multilevelselectionanalysisofamicrobialsocialtrait AT joaobxavier multilevelselectionanalysisofamicrobialsocialtrait |