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Cell Communications among Microorganisms, Plants, and Animals: Origin, Evolution, and Interplays.
Yves Combarnous1, Thi Mong Diep Nguyen2
1Physiologie de la Reproduction & des Comportements Laboratory, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique & Environnementale (INRAe), University of Tours, 37380 Nouzilly, France.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|October 31, 2020
Summary
Cellular communication is vital in single-celled and multicellular organisms, enabling interactions within and between species. Conserved molecular mechanisms facilitate these ancient, evolutionarily advantageous inter-species dialogues.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Cellular communication is fundamental for multicellular life.
- Interactions also occur between unicellular organisms and across species.
- These communications are crucial for survival and evolution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the diverse roles and mechanisms of cellular communication.
- To investigate inter-species cellular interactions and their evolutionary significance.
- To understand the conserved pathways underlying cell-to-cell signaling.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of molecular mechanisms across species.
- Review of evolutionary evidence for conserved signaling pathways.
- Examination of ligand-receptor interactions in diverse organisms.
Main Results:
- Cellular communication occurs within, between, and across species (unicellular and multicellular).
- Highly conserved molecular mechanisms enable inter-species communication, even between evolutionarily distant species.
- These interactions were likely positively selected for, especially in hostile environments.
Conclusions:
- Cell communication is an ancient process, possibly inherent in the earliest life forms.
- Conserved signaling pathways underscore the evolutionary importance of inter-species cellular dialogues.
- Understanding these mechanisms provides insights into the origin and evolution of life.
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