Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Types of Selection01:46

Types of Selection

42.4K
Natural selection influences the frequencies of particular alleles and phenotypes within populations in several different ways. Primarily, natural selection can be directional, stabilizing, or disruptive. Directional selection favors one extreme trait and shifts the population towards that phenotype while selecting against individuals displaying alternate traits. Stabilizing selection favors an intermediate trait with a narrow range of variation. Deviation from the optimal phenotype towards an...
42.4K
Microbial Morphologies01:29

Microbial Morphologies

1.1K
Bacterial and archaeal cells exhibit remarkable diversity in shape and structure, critical in their adaptability and functionality. Among bacteria, the most commonly observed shapes include cocci and bacilli. Cocci are spherical and may exist singly or in groupings such as pairs (diplococci), chains (streptococci), clusters (staphylococci), or tetrads. Bacilli, in contrast, are rod-shaped and can also occur as single cells, in pairs, or chains, depending on their environmental and genetic...
1.1K
Inclusive Fitness00:57

Inclusive Fitness

36.4K
Most altruistic behavior—in which one animal helps another at a cost to themselves—occurs between relatives. Scientists think these altruistic behaviors evolved because they increase the inclusive fitness of the animal providing help.
36.4K
Limits to Natural Selection01:38

Limits to Natural Selection

32.8K
Organisms that are well-adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. However, natural selection does not lead to perfectly adapted organisms. Several factors constrain natural selection.
32.8K
Cellular Differentiation00:57

Cellular Differentiation

4.0K
How does a complex organism such as a human develop from a single cell? It all starts from a single fertilized egg which gives rise to a vast array of cell types, such as nerve cells, muscle cells, and epithelial cells that characterize the adult? Throughout development and adulthood, cellular differentiation leads cells to assume their final morphology and physiology. Differentiation is the process by which unspecialized cells become specialized to carry out distinct functions.
A zygote is a...
4.0K
The Evidence for Evolution02:55

The Evidence for Evolution

45.0K
Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.
45.0K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Predation in microbial communities: gradients of nutritive killing.

Nature reviews. Microbiology·2026
Same author

Predation, evo-devo, and historical contingency: A nematode predator drives evolution of aggregative multicellularity.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Mutation Rate and Effective Population Size of the Model Cooperative Bacterium Myxococcus xanthus.

Genome biology and evolution·2024
Same author

Ecological histories determine the success of social exploitation.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2024
Same author

Ribonuclease D Processes a Small RNA Regulator of Multicellular Development in Myxobacteria.

Genes·2023
Same author

Correction to: 'Social selection within aggregative multicellular development drives morphological evolution' (2021) by La Fortezza and Velicer.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2022

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 12, 2025

Imaging and Analysis of Tissue Orientation and Growth Dynamics in the Developing Drosophila Epithelia During Pupal Stages
08:25

Imaging and Analysis of Tissue Orientation and Growth Dynamics in the Developing Drosophila Epithelia During Pupal Stages

Published on: June 2, 2020

9.6K

Social selection within aggregative multicellular development drives morphological evolution.

Marco La Fortezza1, Gregory J Velicer1

  • 1Institute for Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland.

Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|November 24, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Social interactions during bacterial development significantly impact multicellular structures. Microbial warfare can surprisingly promote cooperation and shape the evolution of these complex bodies.

Keywords:
aggregative multicellularityevo-devomicrobial developmentmorphological evolutionsocial evolution

More Related Videos

Experimental Manipulation of Body Size to Estimate Morphological Scaling Relationships in Drosophila
06:00

Experimental Manipulation of Body Size to Estimate Morphological Scaling Relationships in Drosophila

Published on: October 1, 2011

14.1K
In Situ Hybridization Techniques for Paraffin-Embedded Adult Coral Samples
07:24

In Situ Hybridization Techniques for Paraffin-Embedded Adult Coral Samples

Published on: August 31, 2018

7.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Oct 12, 2025

Imaging and Analysis of Tissue Orientation and Growth Dynamics in the Developing Drosophila Epithelia During Pupal Stages
08:25

Imaging and Analysis of Tissue Orientation and Growth Dynamics in the Developing Drosophila Epithelia During Pupal Stages

Published on: June 2, 2020

9.6K
Experimental Manipulation of Body Size to Estimate Morphological Scaling Relationships in Drosophila
06:00

Experimental Manipulation of Body Size to Estimate Morphological Scaling Relationships in Drosophila

Published on: October 1, 2011

14.1K
In Situ Hybridization Techniques for Paraffin-Embedded Adult Coral Samples
07:24

In Situ Hybridization Techniques for Paraffin-Embedded Adult Coral Samples

Published on: August 31, 2018

7.2K

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Aggregative multicellular development is a social process in unicellular organisms.
  • This development often occurs in genetically diverse cellular environments.
  • Fruiting body formation is a common outcome of this process.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if the cellular environment influences the morphological evolution of aggregative development.
  • To test the impact of different social partners (cooperators, cheaters, antagonists) on fruiting body morphology in *Myxococcus xanthus*.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental evolution using the bacterium *Myxococcus xanthus*.
  • Populations co-developed with non-evolving partners of varying social characters.
  • Morphological changes in fruiting body formation were measured and analyzed.

Main Results:

  • Fruiting body morphology diversified based on partner genotype and social character.
  • Antagonistic partners selected for greater fruiting body formation compared to cooperators or cheaters.
  • Minor genetic differences in cheater partners led to significant morphological divergence.

Conclusions:

  • The social environment profoundly impacts the morphological evolution of multicellular structures.
  • Even small genetic variations in social partners can drive significant evolutionary changes.
  • Microbial interactions, including conflict, can unexpectedly foster cooperation and shape development.