What can microbial genetics teach sociobiology? Export

@article{citeulike:1027632, abstract = {Progress in our understanding of sociobiology has occurred with little knowledge of the genetic mechanisms that underlie social traits. However, several recent studies have described microbial genes that affect social traits, thereby bringing genetics to sociobiology. A key finding is that simple genetic changes can have marked social consequences, and mutations that affect cheating and recognition behaviors have been discovered. The study of these mutants confirms a central theoretical prediction of social evolution: that genetic relatedness promotes cooperation. Microbial genetics also provides an important new perspective: that the genome-to-phenome mapping of social organisms might be organized to constrain the evolution of social cheaters. This constraint can occur both through pleiotropic genes that link cheating to a personal cost and through the existence of phoenix genes, which rescue cooperative systems from selfish and destructive strategies. These new insights show the power of studying microorganisms to improve our understanding of the evolution of cooperation.}, author = {Foster, Kevin R. and Parkinson, Katie and Thompson, Christopher R.}, citeulike-article-id = {1027632}, citeulike-linkout-0 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tig.2006.12.003}, citeulike-linkout-1 = {http://view.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17207887}, citeulike-linkout-2 = {http://www.hubmed.org/display.cgi?uids=17207887}, citeulike-linkout-3 = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6TCY-4MRNCGR-1/2/2a50ccfa153acf9056a2e402b228b19b}, doi = {10.1016/j.tig.2006.12.003}, journal = {Trends in Genetics}, keywords = {coexistence, cooperation, genetics, microbial-ecology, microbial-genetics, mutualism, sociobiology}, posted-at = {2007-01-06 05:28:32}, priority = {1}, title = {What can microbial genetics teach sociobiology?}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tig.2006.12.003}, volume = {In Press, Corrected Proof} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:1027632 L3 - citeulike-article-id:1027632 N2 - Progress in our understanding of sociobiology has occurred with little knowledge of the genetic mechanisms that underlie social traits. However, several recent studies have described microbial genes that affect social traits, thereby bringing genetics to sociobiology. A key finding is that simple genetic changes can have marked social consequences, and mutations that affect cheating and recognition behaviors have been discovered. The study of these mutants confirms a central theoretical prediction of social evolution: that genetic relatedness promotes cooperation. Microbial genetics also provides an important new perspective: that the genome-to-phenome mapping of social organisms might be organized to constrain the evolution of social cheaters. This constraint can occur both through pleiotropic genes that link cheating to a personal cost and through the existence of phoenix genes, which rescue cooperative systems from selfish and destructive strategies. These new insights show the power of studying microorganisms to improve our understanding of the evolution of cooperation. JF - Trends in Genetics TI - What can microbial genetics teach sociobiology? VL - In Press, Corrected Proof KW - coexistence KW - cooperation KW - genetics KW - microbial-ecology KW - microbial-genetics KW - mutualism KW - sociobiology AU - Foster, Kevin AU - Parkinson, Katie AU - Thompson, Christopher UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tig.2006.12.003 ER -