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Pleiotropic constraints promote the evolution of cooperation in cellular groups
Michael A Bentley1,2, Christian A Yates3, Jotun Hein4
1Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Plos Biology
|June 3, 2022
Summary
Pleiotropic genetic architectures, which link cooperative and private traits, protect cellular groups from cheater lineages. This evolution of pleiotropy promotes cooperation by limiting the emergence of cheaters in both microbial and multicellular systems.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Genetics
- Cellular biology
Background:
- Cooperation in cellular groups is threatened by cheater lineages.
- Cheaters can emerge in microbial communities and multicellular organisms, including tumors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how pleiotropic genetic architectures can protect against cheater lineages.
- To demonstrate that pleiotropy promotes the evolution of cooperation.
Main Methods:
- Development of an age-structured model of cellular groups.
- Analysis of group selection for pleiotropy.
Main Results:
- Cooperation breaks down more slowly in groups with pleiotropy compared to those without.
- Group selection favors pleiotropy, limiting cheater emergence and promoting cooperation.
- Pleiotropy's protective effect holds even with mutations, costs, and in mixed-genotype groups.
Conclusions:
- Pleiotropic constraints are critical for the evolution and maintenance of cooperation in cellular groups.
- Pleiotropy is predicted to evolve rapidly when groups persist long enough to face cheater threats.
- Pleiotropic constraints are evident in multicellular organisms, particularly in cancer, highlighting their importance in development and cooperation.
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