Microbial secretor-cheater dynamics.

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences
S A Frank

Abstract

Microbial secretions manipulate the environment and communicate information to neighbours. The secretions of an individual microbe typically act externally and benefit all members of the local group. Secreting imposes a cost in terms of growth, so that cheaters that do not secrete gain by sharing the benefits without paying the costs. Cheaters have been observed in several experimental and natural settings. Given that cheaters grow faster than secretors when in direct competition, what maintains the widely observed patterns of secretion? Recent theory has emphasized the genetic structure of populations, in which secretors tend to associate spatially with other secretors, reducing direct competition and allowing highly secreting groups to share mutual benefits. Such kin selection can be a powerful force favouring cooperative traits. Here, I argue that, although kin selection is a factor, the combination of mutation and demographic processes dominate in determining the relative fitness of secretors versus cheaters when measured over the full cycle of microbial life history. Key demographic factors include the local density of microbes at which secretion significantly alters the environment, the extent to which secretion enhances ...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jul 21, 2010·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Michael Bonsall, Brian Charlesworth
Dec 3, 2014·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Nuno M OliveiraKevin R Foster
Jan 23, 2016·Journal of Theoretical Biology·A MundB A Hense
Oct 18, 2013·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Melanie GhoulStuart A West
Oct 15, 2013·Journal of Evolutionary Biology·T B TaylorA Buckling
May 11, 2013·Current Biology : CB·Steven A Frank
Oct 2, 2014·Molecular BioSystems·Sabine HummertStefan Schuster
Oct 26, 2018·PLoS Biology·Miguel Dos SantosStuart A West
Jan 24, 2019·Journal of Evolutionary Biology·Matishalin PatelStuart A West
Mar 24, 2020·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Florien A GorterMartin Ackermann
Aug 24, 2017·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·John B BruceAshleigh S Griffin
Nov 26, 2020·Journal of Evolutionary Biology·António M M RodriguesSam P Brown

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