The Evolution of Multicellularity: A Minor Major Transition?

Benefits of increased size and functional specialization of cells have repeatedly promoted the evolution of multicellular organisms from unicellular ancestors. Many requirements for multicellular organization (cell adhesion, cell-cell communication and coordination, programmed cell death) likely evolved in ancestral unicellular organisms. However, the evolution of multicellular organisms from unicellular ancestors may be opposed by genetic conflicts that arise when mutant cell lineages promote their own increase at the expense of the integrity of the multicellular organism. Numerous defenses limit such genetic conflicts, perhaps the most important being development from a unicell, which minimizes conflicts…

• UO
  University of Washington