Evolutionary limits to cooperation in microbial communities

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1412673111
• Publication Date: 2014-12-02T04:32:27Z
• Authors: Nuno M. Oliveira; Rene Niehus; Kevin R. Foster
• Keywords: 2. Zero hunger; 0303 health sciences; 03 medical and health sciences; Species Specificity; Microbial Interactions; Selection, Genetic; Biological Evolution; Models, Biological; Ecosystem

Microbes produce many compounds that are costly to a focal cell but promote the survival and reproduction of neighboring cells. This observation has led suggestion microbial strains species will commonly cooperate by exchanging compounds. Here, we examine this idea with an ecoevolutionary model where microbes make multiple secretions, which can be exchanged among genotypes. We show cooperation between genotypes only evolves under specific demographic regimes characterized intermediate genetic mixing. The key constraint on cooperative exchanges is loss autonomy: become reliant complementary may not reliably encountered. Moreover, form observe arises through mutual exploitation related cheating "Black Queen" evolution for single secretion. A major corollary reduces community productivity relative autonomous strain makes everything it needs. prediction finds support in recent work from synthetic communities. Overall, our suggests natural selection often limit communities that, when do occur, they inefficient solution group living.