Cheater-resistance is not futile.
Cooperative social systems are susceptible to cheating by individuals that reap the benefits of cooperation without incurring the costs. There are various theoretical mechanisms for the repression of cheating and many have been tested experimentally. One possibility that has not been tested rigorously is the evolution of mutations that confer resistance to cheating. Here we show that the presence of a cheater in a population of randomly mutated social amoebae can select for cheater-resistance. Furthermore, we show that this cheater-resistance can be a noble strategy because the resister strain does not necessarily exploit other strains. Thus, the evolution of resisters may be instrumental in preserving cooperative behaviour in the face of cheating.
Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
Anupama
A
Khare
Lorenzo A
LA
Santorelli
Joan E
JE
Strassmann
David C
DC
Queller
Adam
A
Kuspa
Gad
G
Shaulsky
D000818:Animals; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004023:Dictyostelium / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D017125:Genes, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012919:Social Behavior; D033761:Spores, Protozoan / Q000502:physiology
D015800:Protozoan Proteins