Multiple social encounters can eliminate Crozier’s paradox and stabilise genetic kin recognition

Scott, Thomas W.; Grafen, Alan; West, Stuart A.

doi:10.1038/s41467-022-31545-4

Cited by 10 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…These studies will allow cooperation, and how cooperation shapes the genome, to be studied in new ways, such as in natural populations of bacteria. As one example, we could investigate if species that use greenbeards (37, 78, 79) or genetic kin recognition mechanisms (2, 80, 81) have more cooperative genes than those that use environmental kin recognition. In addition, SOCfinder could be used to reassess the results of previous studies which used methods such as PSORTb.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

SOCfinder: a genomic tool for identifying cooperative genes in bacteria

Belcher,

Dewar,

Hao

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Bacteria cooperate by working collaboratively to defend their colonies, share nutrients, and resist antibiotics. Nevertheless, our understanding of these remarkable behaviours primarily comes from studying a few well-characterized species. Consequently, there is a significant gap in our understanding of microbial cooperation, particularly in natural environments. To address this gap, we can use bioinformatic tools to identify cooperative traits and their underlying genes across diverse species. Existing tools address this challenge through two approaches. One approach is to identify genes that encode extracellular proteins, which can provide benefits to neighbouring cells. An alternative approach is to predict gene function using annotation tools. However, these tools have several limitations. Not all extracellular proteins are cooperative, and not all cooperative behaviours are controlled by extracellular proteins. Furthermore, existing functional annotation methods frequently miss known cooperative genes. Here, we introduce SOCfinder as a new tool to find cooperative genes in bacterial genomes. SOCfinder combines information from several methods, considering if a gene is likely to (1) code for an extracellular protein, (2) have a cooperative functional annotation, or (3) be part of the biosynthesis of a cooperative secondary metabolite. We use data on two extensively-studied species (P. aeruginosa & B. subtilis) to show that SOCfinder is better at finding known cooperative genes than existing tools. We also use theory from population genetics to identify a signature of kin selection in SOCfinder cooperative genes, which is lacking in genes identified by existing tools. SOCfinder opens up a number of exciting directions for future research, and is available to download from https://github.com/lauriebelch/SOCfinder.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

SOCfinder: a genomic tool for identifying cooperative genes in bacteria

Belcher,

Dewar,

Hao

et al. 2023

Preprint

Self Cite

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“…There is currently no clear hypothesis regarding the role of motility and partner choice in the evolution of greenbeards. Recent theoretical results have shown that the ability to encounter multiple individuals before engaging in a social interaction is an important trait to stabilize kin recognition (Scott et al ., 2022). This may suggest that greenbeards of the facultative type (i.e.…”

Section: How Could Greenbeards Operate In Plants?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Greenbeards in plants?

Montazeaud,

Keller

2024

New Phytologist

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SummaryGreenbeards are selfish genetic elements that make their bearers behave either altruistically towards individuals bearing similar greenbeard copies or harmfully towards individuals bearing different copies. They were first proposed by W.D. Hamilton over 50 yr ago, to illustrate that kin selection may operate at the level of single genes. Examples of greenbeards have now been reported in a wide range of taxa, but they remain undocumented in plants. In this paper, we discuss the theoretical likelihood of greenbeard existence in plants. We then question why the greenbeard concept has never been applied to plants and speculate on how hypothetical greenbeards could affect plant–plant interactions. Finally, we point to different research directions to improve our knowledge of greenbeards in plants.

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“…Figure 1A previously published in ref. 22 and bird cartoons adapted from ref. 23 , Creative Commons ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ ).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…First, we have recently shown that there is an alternative possible solution to Crozier’s paradox. If individuals can have multiple social encounters, then this would allow individuals with rare tags to find others with the same tag ( 22 ). This can prevent common tags from being more likely to be helped and hence eliminate Crozier’s paradox ( 22 ).…”

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confidence: 99%

Host–parasite coevolution and the stability of genetic kin recognition

Scott

Grafen

West

2023

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Crozier’s paradox suggests that genetic kin recognition will not be evolutionarily stable. The problem is that more common tags (markers) are more likely to be recognized and helped. This causes common tags to increase in frequency, eliminating the genetic variability that is required for genetic kin recognition. Two potential solutions to this problem have been suggested: host–parasite coevolution and multiple social encounters. We show that the host–parasite coevolution hypothesis does not work as commonly assumed. Host–parasite coevolution only stabilizes kin recognition at a parasite resistance locus if parasites adapt rapidly to hosts and cause intermediate or high levels of damage (virulence). Additionally, when kin recognition is stabilized at a parasite resistance locus, this can have an additional cost of making hosts more susceptible to parasites. However, we show that if the genetic architecture is allowed to evolve, meaning natural selection can choose the recognition locus, genetic kin recognition is more likely to be stable. The reason for this is that host–parasite coevolution can maintain tag diversity at another (neutral) locus by genetic hitchhiking, allowing that other locus to be used for genetic kin recognition. These results suggest a way that host–parasite coevolution can resolve Crozier’s paradox, without making hosts more susceptible to parasites. However, the opportunity for multiple social encounters may provide a more robust resolution of Crozier’s paradox.

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Multiple social encounters can eliminate Crozier’s paradox and stabilise genetic kin recognition

Cited by 10 publications

References 57 publications

SOCfinder: a genomic tool for identifying cooperative genes in bacteria

SOCfinder: a genomic tool for identifying cooperative genes in bacteria

Greenbeards in plants?

Host–parasite coevolution and the stability of genetic kin recognition

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