Multicellular group formation in response to predators in the alga Chlorella vulgaris
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Fisher, RM
Bell, T
West, SA
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
A key step in the evolution of multicellular organisms is the formation of cooperative multicellular groups. It has been suggested that predation pressure may promote multicellular group formation in some algae and bacteria, with cells forming groups to lower their chance of being eaten. We use the green alga Chlorella vulgaris and the protist Tetrahymena thermophila to test whether predation pressure can initiate the formation of colonies. We found that: (1) either predators or just predator exoproducts promote colony formation; (2) higher predator densities cause more colonies to form; and (3) colony formation in this system is facultative, with populations returning to being unicellular when the predation pressure is removed. These results provide empirical support for the hypothesis that predation pressure promotes multicellular group formation. The speed of the reversion of populations to unicellularity suggests that this response is due to phenotypic plasticity and not evolutionary change.
Date Issued
2016-01-19
Date Acceptance
2015-11-26
Citation
Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 2016, 29 (3), pp.551-559
ISSN
1420-9101
Publisher
Wiley
Start Page
551
End Page
559
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Evolutionary Biology
Volume
29
Issue
3
Copyright Statement
This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Fisher, R. M., Bell, T. and West, S. A. (2016), Multicellular group formation in response to predators in the alga Chlorella vulgaris. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 29: 551–559, which has been published in final form at https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jeb.12804. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance With Wiley Terms and Conditions for self-archiving.
Sponsor
The Royal Society
Grant Number
UF140715
Subjects
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Ecology
Evolutionary Biology
Genetics & Heredity
Environmental Sciences & Ecology
colony formation
inducible defences
major evolutionary transitions
multicellularity
PHAEOCYSTIS-GLOBOSA PRYMNESIOPHYCEAE
INDUCED COLONY FORMATION
MICROCYSTIS-AERUGINOSA
EXPERIMENTAL EVOLUTION
PHENOTYPIC PLASTICITY
MORPHOLOGICAL-CHANGES
MYXOCOCCUS-XANTHUS
SCENEDESMUS
DAPHNIA
ZOOPLANKTON
Publication Status
Published