{"title":"Top-Down Coercive Mechanisms and the Major Transitions in Evolution","authors":"Javier Suárez, Adrian Stencel, Isobel Ronai","doi":"10.1002/bies.70047","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>We propose that top-down coercive mechanisms have played a role in the origin and maintenance of the Major Transitions in Evolution (MTE). Top-down coercion has potentially been underappreciated due to the lack of a conceptual framework. Therefore, we provide a formalized top-down coercion framework for the MTE. Our conceptualization of top-down biological coercion is a loss of potential due to a constraint from the top-down. We also present three case studies of coercive top-down mechanisms in the evolution of eukaryotic cells, multicellularity and eusocial insect colonies. The MTE project studies the origin and maintenance of new levels of individuality in the biological hierarchy. Previously, the MTE has been conceived as a bottom-up process. Our coercion framework provides new empirical questions regarding the origin of transitions and helps reframe discussions of fitness in the MTE.</p>","PeriodicalId":9264,"journal":{"name":"BioEssays","volume":"47 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7000,"publicationDate":"2025-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/bies.70047","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"BioEssays","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bies.70047","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
We propose that top-down coercive mechanisms have played a role in the origin and maintenance of the Major Transitions in Evolution (MTE). Top-down coercion has potentially been underappreciated due to the lack of a conceptual framework. Therefore, we provide a formalized top-down coercion framework for the MTE. Our conceptualization of top-down biological coercion is a loss of potential due to a constraint from the top-down. We also present three case studies of coercive top-down mechanisms in the evolution of eukaryotic cells, multicellularity and eusocial insect colonies. The MTE project studies the origin and maintenance of new levels of individuality in the biological hierarchy. Previously, the MTE has been conceived as a bottom-up process. Our coercion framework provides new empirical questions regarding the origin of transitions and helps reframe discussions of fitness in the MTE.
期刊介绍:
molecular – cellular – biomedical – physiology – translational research – systems - hypotheses encouraged
BioEssays is a peer-reviewed, review-and-discussion journal. Our aims are to publish novel insights, forward-looking reviews and commentaries in contemporary biology with a molecular, genetic, cellular, or physiological dimension, and serve as a discussion forum for new ideas in these areas. An additional goal is to encourage transdisciplinarity and integrative biology in the context of organismal studies, systems approaches, through to ecosystems, where appropriate.