Abstract
Evolutionary transitions in the units of selection require the promotion of cooperation and the regulation of conflict among the lower level units. For multicellular organisms to emerge as a new unit of selection, the selfish tendencies of their component cells had to be controlled. Theoretical results indicate organisms may regulate this internal conflict and competition in several ways: by reducing the somatic mutation rate, by sequestering cells in a germ line and by directly reducing the benefits to cells of defecting.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 813-822 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |
| Volume | 263 |
| Issue number | 1372 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1996 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
- General Immunology and Microbiology
- General Environmental Science
- General Agricultural and Biological Sciences