Experimental evolution of multicellularity

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 109; no. 5; pp. 1595 - 1600
• Main Authors: Ratcliff, William C, Denison, R. Ford, Borrello, Mark, Travisano, Michael
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States National Academy of Sciences 31.01.2012; National Acad Sciences
• Subjects: Apoptosis; Biological Evolution; Biological Sciences; Cell adhesion; Cell division; Cells; Cellular differentiation; Conflicts of interest; determinate growth; Ecological competition; eukaryotic cells; Evolution; Forced migration; Genes, Fungal; Genotype; Genotype & phenotype; Genotypes; labor; Life history; new technology; Phenotypes; Physiology; reproduction; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - cytology; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - genetics; technology; Yeast; Yeasts
• ISSN: 0027-8424; 1091-6490; 1091-6490
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1115323109

Multicellularity was one of the most significant innovations in the history of life, but its initial evolution remains poorly understood. Using experimental evolution, we show that key steps in this transition could have occurred quickly. We subjected the unicellular yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae t...