Friday, March 12, 2010
Cooperation in bacteria experiments
"...cooperation between species can be evolved in the laboratory if (1) there is preexisting reciprocation or feedback for cooperation, and (2) reciprocation is preferentially received by cooperative genotypes. [...] Growth in a spatially structured environment assured that the benefits of cooperation were preferentially received by cooperative genotypes. [...] cooperation disappeared if the waste consumption or spatial structure were removed." "This also happened when the bacteria were grown in flasks, suggesting that spatial structure of the bacterial colonies is needed for cooperation to evolve". Full article @ Evolution
Labels: bacteria, cooperation
