Biological complexity: bacterial colonies cooperation (Introduction)

by David Turell , Thursday, November 03, 2022, 17:24 (751 days ago) @ dhw

QUOTES: "In effect, Vibrio become a heterogeneous mixture of cells, with the bacteria using different genes to control their behavior in each phase. As the cells interact with their neighbors in the structure, what emerges is “a surprising amount of complexity,” said Schwartzman, who is launching her own lab at the University of Southern California in January. “The bacteria are constantly taking in information from their environment, and sometimes they respond in ways that change the environment.”

Shapiro argued that bacteria aren’t unicellular loners. “I came to the conclusion that basically all bacteria are multicellular organisms,” he said.

"Over his four-decade career, Shapiro saw his hypothesis transform from nearly heretical to incontrovertible. “At first, I got just bemused attention, but now it’s become conventional wisdom,” he said. “Multicellularity is an inherent property of bacteria.'”

DAVID: this work shows that bacteria contain the beginnings of multicellularity. Our old friend Shapiro is supported in his work.

dhw: Once more my thanks for your integrity in presenting material which you know I can use to support theories opposed to your own. The versatility of these bacterial communities seems to foreshadow the vast diversity of life forms as cell communities go on “taking in information from their environment” and responding, not just by changing their environment but also by changing themselves. This in a nutshell is Shapiro’s own theory of evolution, and of course he is a champion of the theory of cellular intelligence.

Glad you enjoyed this entry. There is no question multicellularity came from bacteria. But for me God designed that step.