Genetic kin recognition and Crozier's Paradox
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: Biology
Abstract
Genetic kin discrimination is when animals use genetic cues to determine who their close relatives are. Genetic kin discrimination would allow individuals to be nepotistic, preferentially directing cooperative help to closer relatives.
The extent to which genetic kin discrimination occurs in nature remains controversial. Evolutionary theory says that genetic kin discrimination often won't be possible, because there won't be enough genetic variation to distinguish kin from non-kin. The empirical data is mixed. There are many examples of animals using environmental cues to assess relatedness, such as 'grew up in same nest'. In contrast, while there are some examples of genetic cues, their relative role in nature remains unclear.
We will use a two-pronged approach to clarify the role of genetic kin discrimination in the natural world:
(1) We will develop theory to examine when genetic kin discrimination can be evolutionarily stable. We suggest that previous theory has come to a misleading conclusion, because it did not allow for how animals interact in the real world.
(2) We will carry out an across-species comparative study, to explain why some species use environmental cues to assess relatedness, while others use genetic cues.
The extent to which genetic kin discrimination occurs in nature remains controversial. Evolutionary theory says that genetic kin discrimination often won't be possible, because there won't be enough genetic variation to distinguish kin from non-kin. The empirical data is mixed. There are many examples of animals using environmental cues to assess relatedness, such as 'grew up in same nest'. In contrast, while there are some examples of genetic cues, their relative role in nature remains unclear.
We will use a two-pronged approach to clarify the role of genetic kin discrimination in the natural world:
(1) We will develop theory to examine when genetic kin discrimination can be evolutionarily stable. We suggest that previous theory has come to a misleading conclusion, because it did not allow for how animals interact in the real world.
(2) We will carry out an across-species comparative study, to explain why some species use environmental cues to assess relatedness, while others use genetic cues.
Organisations
Publications
Dewar A
(2021)
Plasmids do not consistently stabilize cooperation across bacteria but may promote broad pathogen host-range
in Nature Ecology & Evolution
Dewar AE
(2024)
Genes for cooperation are not more likely to be carried by plasmids.
in Proceedings. Biological sciences
Howe J
(2024)
Conflict-reducing innovations in development enable increased multicellular complexity
in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
| Description | 1. Genetic kin recognition can be evolutionary stable. 2. Horizontal gene transfer, via mechanisms such as plasmids, does not favour cooperation in bacteria. |
| Exploitation Route | Empirically testable predictions |
| Sectors | Education |
| Title | Code for generating data for the weak-selection mathematical model and agent-based simulation models, for whether multiple social encounters can stabilise genetic kin recognition |
| Description | This code: (1) Generates data for the weak-selection mathematical model. This is contained in the "Generate_data_for_island_model_weak_selection" script. (2) Generates data for the agent-based simulation model, which accounts for stronger selection and finite populations. This is contained in the "Generate_data_for_agent_based_simulation" script. (3) Generates data for the version of the agent-based simulation model where there is no tag mutation, in which balancing selection is examined via tag fixation times. This is contained in the "Generate_data_for_balancing_selection_finite_pop" script. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/id/aec1e55f-f6ac-4673-9e93-706b44df88f1 |
| Title | Code for generating long-term equilibrium results for a range of parasite virulence and parasite evolutionary lag values, and dynamical results for specific parameter values |
| Description | This code contains scripts for generating data (specifically, these scripts numerically implement our mathematical model). There are three data generating scripts: "Script_for_generating_parameter_sweep_data.m", "Script_for_generating_single_trial_data.m", "Script_for_generating_initial_genotype_frequencies.m". Running the "Script_for_generating_parameter_sweep_data.m" script will generate long-term (equilibrium) results for a range of d (parasite virulence) and lag (parasite evolutionary lag) values, and save these results in matrices. Running the "Script_for_generating_single_trial_data.m" script will generate over-time (dynamical) results for a specific set of parameter values. Both of these scripts call the "Script_for_generating_initial_genotype_frequencies.m" in order to generate the initial genotype frequencies that start off each run. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/id/0b78e33c-1f81-4125-9558-c354292bda92 |
| Title | Supplementary Material 3 - additional information for supertree phylogeny from Genes for cooperation are not more likely to be carried by plasmids |
| Description | Excel sheet with further details for each species to accompany S2. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://rs.figshare.com/articles/dataset/Supplementary_Material_3_-_additional_information_for_super... |