Fitness trade-offs and developmental constraints in the evolution of soma: an experimental study in a volvocine alga

摘要

Background:The evolution of mortal somatic cells was a critical step in the evolution of complex body plans and the major radiations of multicellular life. In the volvocine green algae, somatic cells are hypothesized to mitigate an increasing cost of reproduction as colony size increases, primarily by providing motility to the colony during reproduction.