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Salinity tunes multicellularity in a choanoflagellate

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Research area:biology-genetics

What the study found

The study found that Choanoeca flexa, a choanoflagellate, can form motile and contractile cell sheets through three routes: purely clonal, purely aggregative, or a mix of both. It also found that this species can shift reversibly between unicellular and multicellular states in its natural splash-pool habitat.

Why the authors say this matters

The authors conclude that clonal-aggregative multicellularity is a versatile strategy for establishing multicellularity in a variable, fast-fluctuating environment. They say the findings challenge earlier generalizations about choanoflagellates and expand the option space of choanozoan multicellularity.

What the researchers tested

The researchers studied the life history of C. flexa in ephemeral splash pools on Curaçao during evaporation-refilling cycles. They examined how sheets form, whether multicellularity arises clonally, aggregatively, or both, and whether genetically distinct strains from different pools recognize kin and limit aggregation.

What worked and what didn't

C. flexa sheets were observed to form by clonal, aggregative, and mixed mechanisms. The species also showed reversible transitions between unicellularity and multicellularity. Aggregation between genetically distinct strains was constrained by kin recognition.

What to keep in mind

The abstract describes findings from C. flexa in natural splash pools on Curaçao, so the scope is limited to this species and environment. No additional limitations are described in the available summary.

Key points

  • Choanoeca flexa can form multicellular sheets by clonal division, aggregation, or both.
  • The species can reversibly switch between unicellular and multicellular states.
  • In its natural splash-pool habitat, these transitions occur during evaporation-refilling cycles.
  • Different splash pools contain genetically distinct strains.
  • Kin recognition limits aggregation between strains.

Disclosure

Research title:
Salinity tunes multicellularity in a choanoflagellate
Authors:
Núria Ros-Rocher, Josean Reyes-Rivera, Uzuki Horo, Chantal Combredet, Yeganeh Foroughijabbari, Ben T. Larson, Maxwell C. Coyle, ERIK A.T. HOUTEPEN, Mark J. A. Vermeij, Jacob L. Steenwyk, Thibaut Brunet
Institutions:
Caribbean Research and Management of Biodiversity Foundation, Caribbean Research and Management of Biodiversity Foundation, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Harvard University, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Institut Pasteur, Institut Pasteur, Institut Pasteur, Institut Pasteur, Institut Pasteur, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Université Paris Cité, Université Paris Cité, Université Paris Cité, Université Paris Cité, Université Paris Cité, University of Amsterdam, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, San Francisco
Publication date:
2026-02-25
DOI:
10.1038/s41586-026-10137-y
OpenAlex record:
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AI provenance: This post was generated by gpt-5.4-mini (OpenAI). The original authors did not write or review this post.

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