Nature Communications (May 2020)

A mechanistic explanation of the transition to simple multicellularity in fungi

  • Luke L. M. Heaton,
  • Nick S. Jones,
  • Mark D. Fricker

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16072-4
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

Read online

Multicellularity is one of the major transitions in evolution. Here, authors use a model to show that compared to unicellular bacteria, multicellular fungi can more rapidly colonise immobile, nutrient poor resources because exoenzymes provide greater or longer lasting benefits to mycelial organisms.