Work

Evolution of bidirectional costly mutualism from byproduct consumption

Year: 2018

Type: article

Abstract: Significance Organisms frequently exchange costly resources with other species. Theory suggests that this paradoxical cooperation between species might have its origins in waste consumption. When a species benefits from the waste of another, the recipient can evolve to aid the waste producer. The waste producer could then be selected to provide costly resources in return. We previously demonstrated the first step of this theorized process: Salmonella enterica evolved to secrete a costly amino acid to increase access to a byproduct generated by Escherichia coli . Here, we provide demonstration of a waste producer switching to costly cooperation. E. coli repeatedly evolved novel secretion of sugar to feed S. enterica . The results validate long-standing theory about the evolutionary origins of costly mutualism.

Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1810949115

Authors: William R. Harcombe, Jeremy M. Chacón, Elizabeth M. Adamowicz, Lon M. Chubiz, Christopher J. Marx

Institutions: University of Minnesota, Harvard University, University of Missouri–St. Louis, University of Idaho

Language: English

Topic: Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, Biological and Environmental Research