Algae cells that cheat are more likely to die of environmental stress

James Dinneen is a writer.

Stress is more likely to affect cheat cells. The emergence of multicellular organisms could be explained by this trade-off.

The benefits of a group without paying the costs of cooperation are always available to individuals who cheat.

Aurora Nedelcu and her colleagues used multicellular green algae Volvox carteri to shed light on the forces that keep cheating out of the picture. There are two types of cells in V. carteri. They usually work together. The body cells cheat when a regA is manipulated.

Body cells give rise to far more cells, each of which can be used to cheat.