The health of the honeybee and, indirectly, global crop production are threatened by several biotic and abiotic factors, which play a poorly defined role in induction widespread colony losses. Recent descriptive studies suggest that losses often related to interaction between pathogens other stress including parasites. Through an integrated analysis population molecular changes associated with collapse colonies infested parasitic mite Varroa destructor, we show this parasite can de-stabilise...

Significance Classical game theory addresses how individuals make decisions given suitable incentives, for example, whether to use a commons rapaciously or with restraint. However, classical does not typically address the consequences of individual actions that reshape environment over long term. Here, we propose unified approach analyze and understand coupled evolution strategies environment. We revisit originating tragedy example evaluate overuse resource changes incentives future action....

Significance Many bacterial species engage in a form of cell–cell communication known as quorum sensing (QS). Despite great progress unravelling the molecular mechanisms QS, controversy remains over its functional role. There is disagreement whether QS surveys cell density or rather environmental properties like diffusion flow, and moreover there no consensus on why many bacteria use multiple signal molecules. We develop test new conceptual framework for communication, demonstrating that can...

Many species of deciduous trees display striking colour changes in autumn. Here, we present a functional hypothesis: bright autumn coloration serves as an honest signal defensive commitment against colonizing insect pests. According to this hypothesis, individuals within signalling show variation the expression coloration, with defensively committed producing more intense display. Insects are expected be averse brightest tree and, hence, preferentially colonize least hosts. We predicted that...

Microbes engage in a remarkable array of cooperative behaviors, secreting shared proteins that are essential for foraging, shelter, microbial warfare, and virulence. These costly, rendering populations cooperators vulnerable to exploitation by nonproducing cheaters arising gene loss or migration. In such conditions, how can cooperation persist?Our model predicts differential mobility drives intragenomic variation investment traits. More mobile loci generate stronger among-individual genetic...

Abstract By nature of their small size, dense growth and frequent need for extracellular metabolism, microbes face persistent public goods dilemmas. Genetic assortment is the only general solution stabilizing cooperation, but all known mechanisms structuring microbial populations depend on availability free space, an often unrealistic constraint. Here we describe a class self-organization that operates within densely packed bacterial populations. Through mathematical modelling experiments...

Medical science is typically pitted against the evolutionary forces acting upon infective populations of bacteria. As an alternative strategy, we could exploit our growing understanding population dynamics social traits in bacteria to help treat bacterial disease. In particular, be exploited introduce less virulent strains bacteria, or medically beneficial alleles into populations. We discuss how adopting different strategies can invade a cooperative wild-type, considering public good...

Public goods cooperation abounds in nature, occurring organisms ranging from bacteria to humans. Although previous research focused on the behavioral and ecological conditions favoring cooperation, question of whether molecular regulatory properties public good itself can influence selection for has received little attention. Using a metapopulation model, we show that extended durability good—allowing multiple reuse across generations—greatly reduces cheating if (and only if) production is...

In the field of infectious disease control, novel therapies are focusing on reducing illness caused by pathogens rather than pathogen burden itself. Here, Vale and colleagues highlight some potential consequences such therapeutics for spread evolution.

Background and objectives: Conventional antibiotics select strongly for resistance are consequently losing efficacy worldwide. Extracellular quenching of shared virulence factors could represent a more promising strategy because (i) it reduces the available routes to (as extracellular action precludes any mutations blocking drug's entry into cells or hastening its exit) (ii) weakens selection resistance, as fitness benefits emergent mutants diluted across all in cooperative collective. Here,...

Polymicrobial interactions play an important role in shaping the outcome of antibiotic treatment, yet how multispecies communities respond to assault is still little understood. Here we use individual-based simulation model microbial biofilms investigate competitive and mutualistic between antibiotic-resistant a susceptible strain (or species) influence two-lineage community response exposure. Our predicts that while increasing competition antibiotics leads release strain, hitting...

ABSTRACT Loss-of-function mutations in tuberous sclerosis 1 ( TSC1 ) are prevalent monogenic causes of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Selective deletion Tsc1 from mouse cerebellar Purkinje neurons has been shown to cause several ASD-linked behavioral impairments, which linked reduced neuron repetitive firing rates. We used electrophysiology methods investigate why neuron-specific mut/mut impairs firing. These studies revealed a depolarized shift action potential threshold voltage, an effect...

The study of quorum–sensing bacteria has revealed a widespread mechanism coordinating bacterial gene expression with cell density. By monitoring constitutively produced signal molecule, individual can limit their group–beneficial phenotypes to densities that guarantee an effective group outcome. In this paper, we attempt move away from commonly expressed view these impressive feats coordination are examples multicellularity in prokaryotic populations. Here, look more closely at the conflict...

The existence of adaptive host manipulation by parasites has received increasing empirical support in recent years. Here I develop an optimality model the extent manipulation, incorporating within-host group size, relatedness and a range realistic cost–benefit functions. highlights cooperative nature potential for cheating this entails. When parasite groups is minimal, suppressed, but not eradicated, reflecting importance interhost selection. A distinctive threshold phenomenon predicted wide...