NYMC Faculty Publications
Does Resource Availability Help Determine the Evolutionary Route to Multicellularity?
DOI
10.1111/ede.12287
Journal Title
Evolution & Development
First Page
115
Last Page
119
Document Type
Letter to the Editor
Publication Date
May 2019
Department
Cell Biology and Anatomy
Abstract
Genetic heterogeneity and homogeneity are associated with distinct sets of adaptive advantages and bottlenecks, both in developmental biology and population genetics. Whereas populations of individuals are usually genetically heterogeneous, most multicellular metazoans are genetically homogeneous. Observing that resource scarcity fuels genetic heterogeneity in populations, we propose that monoclonal development is compatible with the resource-rich and stable internal environments that complex multicellular bodies offer. In turn, polyclonal development persists in tumors and in certain metazoans, both exhibiting a closer dependence on external resources. This eco-evo-devo approach also suggests that multicellularity may originally have emerged through polyclonal development in early metazoans, because of their reduced shielding from environmental fluctuations.
Recommended Citation
Hamant, O., Bhat, R., Nanjundiah, V., & Newman, S. (2019). Does Resource Availability Help Determine the Evolutionary Route to Multicellularity?. Evolution & Development, 21 (3), 115-119. https://doi.org/10.1111/ede.12287