Reactive Oxygen Species Signaling Pathways: Arbiters of Evolutionary Conflict?

In the history of life, cooperation between biological units has led to increased complexity, e.g., eukaryotic cells and multicellular organisms. Cooperation requires limiting gains “defectors” in favor cooperative higher-level unit. Early an evolutionary transition, bioenergetics reactive oxygen species (ROS) may play a large role managing these conflicts. Chemiosmosis can be thought as poorly insulated wire—when supply exceeds demand, electrons are cast off form ROS. ROS signaling thus lead dispersal excess products into environment. These groups formation that subsequently targeted by selection. Examining modern symbioses such those corals photosynthetic dinoflagellates provides useful insight this context. While important factor coral bleaching, little is known function under other circumstances, although some data suggest modulate cooperation. have functioned similarly origin eukaryotes, involving chemiosmotic mitochondria chloroplasts. act “arbiters” conflict, leading via pathways emergence