Abstract
Choanoflagellates are the closest living relatives of animals. These protozoans alternate between unicellular and multicellular life stages. They also possess many of the same adhesion and signaling genes as animals. Therefore, choanoflagellates are an ideal model to study cell–cell signaling that predated animals and led to the origin of the animal lineage. Chemical ecology of choanoflagellates is in its infancy, but already several types of intraspecies and interspecies interactions have been described. Three such interactions in the choanoflagellate Salpingoeca rosetta have begun to be characterized at a molecular level (multicellularity induction, mating induction, and aerotaxis). The nascent molecular study of S. rosetta, other choanoflagellates, and other holozoan relatives will generate insight into the origin of multicellular signaling in animals.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Reference Module in Chemistry, Molecular Sciences and Chemical Engineering
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
