Temporal regulation of kin recognition maintains recognition-cue diversity and suppresses cheating
Year: 2015
Type: article
Abstract: Kin recognition, the ability to distinguish kin from non-kin, can facilitate cooperation between relatives. Evolutionary theory predicts that polymorphism in recognition cues, which is essential for effective recognition, would be unstable. Individuals carrying rare recognition cues would benefit less from social interactions than individuals with common cues, leading to loss of the genetic-cue diversity. We test this evolutionary hypothesis in Dictyostelium discoideum, which forms multicellular fruiting bodies by aggregation and utilizes two polymorphic membrane proteins to facilitate preferential cooperation. Surprisingly, we find that rare recognition variants are tolerated and maintain their frequencies among incompatible majority during development. Although the rare variants are initially excluded from the aggregates, they subsequently rejoin the aggregate and produce spores. Social cheating is also refrained in late development, thus limiting the cost of chimerism. Our results suggest a potential mechanism to sustain the evolutionary stability of kin-recognition genes and to suppress cheating.
Source: Nature Communications
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms8144
Authors: Hsing-I Ho, Gad Shaulsky
Institution: Baylor College of Medicine
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $6,990
Funders: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, John S. Dunn Gulf Coast Consortium for Chemical Genomics, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Center for Research Resources, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Awards: G1081826082, G1147702603, G1913330789, BD Biosciences Special Order LSRII, G2538640567, G5136147547, G5465708471, G5508324684, G579812685, G7557813972, G806902274, G863484009, G9000013585, G9000065690, G9000066967, G9000117436, G9000153121, G9000198215, G9000240210, Baylor College of Medicine Cancer Center - Cancer Center Support Grant, G99424851
OpenAlex ID: W2268458977