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Social evolution

Kin preference in a social microbe

Nature volume 442, pages 881–882 (2006)Cite this article

Given the right circumstances, even an amoeba chooses to be altruistic towards its relatives.

Abstract

Kin recognition helps cooperation to evolve in many animals1, but it is uncertain whether microorganisms can also use it to focus altruistic behaviour on relatives. Here we show that the social amoeba Dictyostelium purpureum prefers to form groups with its own kin in situations where some individuals die to assist others. By directing altruism towards kin, D. purpureum should generally avoid the costs of chimaerism2,3 experienced by the related D. discoideum.

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Figure 1: Kin discrimination during social development in the amoeba Dictyostelium purpureum.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. Thomas G. Platt

    Present address: Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, 47405, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Rice University, Houston, 77005, Texas, USA

    Natasha J. Mehdiabadi, Chandra N. Jack, Tiffany Talley Farnham, Thomas G. Platt, Sara E. Kalla, David C. Queller & Joan E. Strassmann

  2. Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, 77030, Texas, USA

    Gad Shaulsky

Authors
  1. Natasha J. Mehdiabadi
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  2. Chandra N. Jack
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  3. Tiffany Talley Farnham
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  4. Thomas G. Platt
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  5. Sara E. Kalla
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  6. Gad Shaulsky
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  7. David C. Queller
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  8. Joan E. Strassmann
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Natasha J. Mehdiabadi.

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Mehdiabadi, N., Jack, C., Farnham, T. et al. Kin preference in a social microbe. Nature 442, 881–882 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/442881a

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