• Slime mould and the transition...

Result: Slime mould and the transition to multicellularity : The role of the macrocyst stage

Title:
Slime mould and the transition to multicellularity : The role of the macrocyst stage
Authors:
BRYDEN, John
Source:
Advances in artificial life (8th European conference, ECAL 2005, Canterbury, UK, September 5-9, 2005, proceedings)Lecture notes in computer science. :551-561
Publisher Information:
Berlin; New York, NY: Springer, 2005.
Publication Year:
2005
Physical Description:
print, 27 ref 1
Original Material:
INIST-CNRS
Subject Terms:
Bioinformatics, Bioinformatique, Computer science, Informatique, Sciences exactes et technologie, Exact sciences and technology, Sciences appliquees, Applied sciences, Informatique; automatique theorique; systemes, Computer science; control theory; systems, Intelligence artificielle, Artificial intelligence, Algorithme génétique, Genetic algorithm, Algoritmo genético, Algorithme évolutionniste, Evolutionary algorithm, Algoritmo evoluciónista, Biologie, Biology, Biología, Code génétique, Genetic code, Código genético, Disponibilité, Availability, Disponibilidad, Industrie alimentaire, Food industry, Industria alimenticia, Intelligence artificielle, Artificial intelligence, Inteligencia artificial, Modélisation, Modeling, Modelización, Moule, Mold, Molde, Précurseur, Precursor, Régime permanent, Steady state, Régimen permanente, Vie artificielle, Artificial life, Algorithme cellulaire, Cellular algorithm, Algoritmo celular
Document Type:
Conference Conference Paper
File Description:
text
Language:
English
Author Affiliations:
School of Computing, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
ISSN:
0302-9743
Access URL:
http://pascal-francis.inist.fr/vibad/index.php?action=search&terms=17265474
Rights:
Copyright 2005 INIST-CNRS
CC BY 4.0
Sauf mention contraire ci-dessus, le contenu de cette notice bibliographique peut être utilisé dans le cadre d’une licence CC BY 4.0 Inist-CNRS / Unless otherwise stated above, the content of this bibliographic record may be used under a CC BY 4.0 licence by Inist-CNRS / A menos que se haya señalado antes, el contenido de este registro bibliográfico puede ser utilizado al amparo de una licencia CC BY 4.0 Inist-CNRS
Notes:
Computer science; theoretical automation; systems
Accession Number:
edscal.17265474
Database:
PASCAL Archive

Further Information

The transition from unicellular to multicellular organisms is one of the mysteries of evolutionary biology. Individual cells must give up their rights to reproduction and reproduce instead as part of a whole. I review and model the macrocyst stage in slime mould (Dictyostelium) evolution to investigate why an organism might have something to gain from joining a collective reproduction strategy. The macrocyst is a reproductive cartel where individual cells aggregate and form a large zygotic cell which then eats the other aggregating cells. The offspring all have the same genetic code. The model is a steady state genetic algorithm at an individual cellular level. An individual's genetic code determines a threshold above which it will reproduce and a threshold below which it will join a macrocyst. I find that cycles in food availability can play an important role in an organism's likelihood of joining the macrocyst. The results also demonstrate how the macrocyst may be an important precursor to other cooperative behaviours.