Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ros-Rocher, Núria, Reyes-Rivera, Josean, Horo, Uzuki, Combredet, Chantal, Foroughijabbari, Yeganeh, Larson, Ben T, Coyle, Maxwell C, Houtepen, Erik A T, Vermeij, Mark J A, Steenwyk, Jacob L, Brunet, Thibaut
Format: Artículo científico
Language:en
Published: Nature 2026
Subjects:
Online Access:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41741645/
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1868266079711657984
author Ros-Rocher, Núria
Reyes-Rivera, Josean
Horo, Uzuki
Combredet, Chantal
Foroughijabbari, Yeganeh
Larson, Ben T
Coyle, Maxwell C
Houtepen, Erik A T
Vermeij, Mark J A
Steenwyk, Jacob L
Brunet, Thibaut
author_facet Ros-Rocher, Núria
Reyes-Rivera, Josean
Horo, Uzuki
Combredet, Chantal
Foroughijabbari, Yeganeh
Larson, Ben T
Coyle, Maxwell C
Houtepen, Erik A T
Vermeij, Mark J A
Steenwyk, Jacob L
Brunet, Thibaut
Ros-Rocher, Núria
Reyes-Rivera, Josean
Horo, Uzuki
Combredet, Chantal
Foroughijabbari, Yeganeh
Larson, Ben T
Coyle, Maxwell C
Houtepen, Erik A T
Vermeij, Mark J A
Steenwyk, Jacob L
Brunet, Thibaut
collection PubMed - marine biology
contents Clonal-aggregative multicellularity tuned by salinity in a choanoflagellate. Ros-Rocher, Núria Reyes-Rivera, Josean Horo, Uzuki Combredet, Chantal Foroughijabbari, Yeganeh Larson, Ben T Coyle, Maxwell C Houtepen, Erik A T Vermeij, Mark J A Steenwyk, Jacob L Brunet, Thibaut Animals Cell Aggregation Cell Movement Choanoflagellata Clone Cells Salinity Multicellularity evolved independently multiple times in eukaryotes. Two distinct mechanisms underpin multicellularity: clonality (serial cell division without sister-cell separation) and aggregation (whereby independent cells assemble into a multicellular entity). Clonal and aggregative multicellularity are traditionally considered to be mutually exclusive, with rare exceptions, and evolutionary hypotheses have addressed why multicellularity might diverge towards one or the other extreme. Both animals and their sister group, the choanoflagellates, are currently known to acquire multicellularity only clonally. Here we show that the choanoflagellate Choanoeca flexa forms motile and contractile cell monolayers (sheets) through multiple mechanisms-C. flexa sheets can form purely clonally, purely aggregatively or through a combination of both processes. We characterize the life history of C. flexa in its natural environment-ephemeral splash pools on the island of Curaçao-and show that C. flexa undergoes reversible transitions between unicellularity and multicellularity during evaporation-refilling cycles. Different splash pools house genetically distinct strains of C. flexa and kin recognition constrains aggregation between them. We show that clonal-aggregative multicellularity is a versatile strategy for the robust establishment of multicellularity in this variable and fast-fluctuating environment. Our findings challenge former generalizations about choanoflagellates and expand the option space of choanozoan multicellularity.
format Artículo científico
id pubmed_41741645
institution PubMed
language en
publishDate 2026
publisher Nature
record_format pubmed
spellingShingle Clonal-aggregative multicellularity tuned by salinity in a choanoflagellate.
Ros-Rocher, Núria
Reyes-Rivera, Josean
Horo, Uzuki
Combredet, Chantal
Foroughijabbari, Yeganeh
Larson, Ben T
Coyle, Maxwell C
Houtepen, Erik A T
Vermeij, Mark J A
Steenwyk, Jacob L
Brunet, Thibaut
Animals
Cell Aggregation
Cell Movement
Choanoflagellata
Clone Cells
Salinity
Clonal-aggregative multicellularity tuned by salinity in a choanoflagellate. Ros-Rocher, Núria Reyes-Rivera, Josean Horo, Uzuki Combredet, Chantal Foroughijabbari, Yeganeh Larson, Ben T Coyle, Maxwell C Houtepen, Erik A T Vermeij, Mark J A Steenwyk, Jacob L Brunet, Thibaut Animals Cell Aggregation Cell Movement Choanoflagellata Clone Cells Salinity Multicellularity evolved independently multiple times in eukaryotes. Two distinct mechanisms underpin multicellularity: clonality (serial cell division without sister-cell separation) and aggregation (whereby independent cells assemble into a multicellular entity). Clonal and aggregative multicellularity are traditionally considered to be mutually exclusive, with rare exceptions, and evolutionary hypotheses have addressed why multicellularity might diverge towards one or the other extreme. Both animals and their sister group, the choanoflagellates, are currently known to acquire multicellularity only clonally. Here we show that the choanoflagellate Choanoeca flexa forms motile and contractile cell monolayers (sheets) through multiple mechanisms-C. flexa sheets can form purely clonally, purely aggregatively or through a combination of both processes. We characterize the life history of C. flexa in its natural environment-ephemeral splash pools on the island of Curaçao-and show that C. flexa undergoes reversible transitions between unicellularity and multicellularity during evaporation-refilling cycles. Different splash pools house genetically distinct strains of C. flexa and kin recognition constrains aggregation between them. We show that clonal-aggregative multicellularity is a versatile strategy for the robust establishment of multicellularity in this variable and fast-fluctuating environment. Our findings challenge former generalizations about choanoflagellates and expand the option space of choanozoan multicellularity.
title Clonal-aggregative multicellularity tuned by salinity in a choanoflagellate.
topic Animals
Cell Aggregation
Cell Movement
Choanoflagellata
Clone Cells
Salinity
url https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41741645/