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Quiescence Through the Prism of Evolution.
Bertrand Daignan-Fornier1, Damien Laporte1, Isabelle Sagot1
1Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, IBGC, UMR 5095, Bordeaux, France.
Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
|November 15, 2021
Summary
Quiescence, a reversible cell cycle arrest, initially aided unicellular survival. In multicellular organisms, cell-cell interactions allowed quiescence to evolve, driving cell specialization and complexity.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Cell biology
- Developmental biology
Background:
- Quiescence, or reversible cell cycle arrest, is crucial for survival in unicellular organisms facing adverse conditions.
- Multicellularity introduced new cellular behaviors, building upon conserved aspects of unicellular quiescence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the evolutionary role of quiescence in the development of multicellular complexity.
- To investigate how cell-cell interactions influenced the evolution of quiescence.
Main Methods:
- This study is primarily theoretical, proposing an evolutionary framework.
- It synthesizes existing knowledge on cell cycle regulation, environmental adaptation, and multicellular development.
Main Results:
- The formation of a cellular microenvironment in multicellular organisms decoupled quiescence from direct nutritional cues.
- This decoupling enabled quiescent cells to remain metabolically active, fostering new properties and specialization.
- Quiescence co-evolved with cell specialization, acting as a driver for multicellular complexity.
Conclusions:
- Cellular quiescence is a conserved but adaptable biological process fundamental to life.
- The evolution of multicellularity repurposed quiescence, linking it to cell specialization and organismal complexity.
- Understanding quiescence evolution offers insights into the diversity of life and potential therapeutic targets.
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