The cellular slime mold Fonticula alba forms a dynamic, multicellular collective while feeding on bacteria

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary biology
• Cellular and molecular biology

Background:

• Multicellularity arose independently in fungi and animals from a common ancestor.
• Significant mechanistic differences exist between fungal and animal multicellularity.
• Limited knowledge of ancestral cellular organization hinders understanding of multicellular divergence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the origins of multicellularity divergence in opisthokonts.
• To explore novel forms of multicellular behavior in unique opisthokont species.
• To gain insights into the ancestral states of multicellular organisms.

Main Methods:

• Discovery and observation of invasive multicellular behavior in Fonticula alba.
• Analysis of amoebae coalescence and collective dynamics.
• Characterization of the bacteria-dependent germination and invasion processes.

Main Results:

• Identified a novel invasive multicellular behavior in Fonticula alba, a sorocarpic amoeba.
• Demonstrated that multicellularity is triggered by bacterial culture state and amoeba density.
• Observed that collectives exhibit animal-like motility and fungal-like invasive behavior.

Conclusions:

• Fonticula alba displays a unique form of invasive multicellularity.
• This behavior provides a model for understanding early multicellular evolution and divergence.
• Findings offer new perspectives on the origins of fungal multicellularity.