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Social interactions in bacterial cell-cell signaling.
Kyle L Asfahl1, Martin Schuster2
1Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, 226 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331-3804, USA.
FEMS Microbiology Reviews
|September 29, 2016
Summary
Microbial cooperation, often regulated by quorum sensing (cell-cell communication), is shaped by social evolution. Mechanisms stabilizing cooperation prevent the "tragedy of the commons" in microbial communities.
Area of Science:
- Microbial Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Social Evolution
Background:
- Microbial communities exhibit cooperation and conflict, influencing their organization and function.
- Quorum sensing (QS) is a key cell-cell signaling process governing cooperative behaviors in bacteria.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of quorum sensing and social adaptation in microorganisms through the lens of evolutionary theory.
- To describe mechanisms that stabilize microbial cooperation and prevent the 'tragedy of the commons'.
Main Methods:
- Relating general features of quorum sensing and microbial social adaptation to established evolutionary theory.
- Describing physiological and molecular mechanisms that stabilize cooperation in microbes.
Main Results:
- Social evolutionary theory predicts selective pressures for cheating in public goods dilemmas.
- Mechanisms exist that stabilize cooperation in microbial communities, counteracting the 'tragedy of the commons'.
Conclusions:
- Understanding microbial communication and cooperation is crucial for pathogen treatment and fundamental biology.
- Continued research into microbial cooperation advances our understanding of selection at all life levels.
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