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This content will become publicly available on May 6, 2026

Title: Bioenergetics and the Evolution of Cellular Traits
Evolutionary processes have transformed simple cellular life into a great diversity of forms, ranging from the ubiquitous eukaryotic cell design to the more specific cellular forms of spirochetes, cyanobacteria, ciliates, heliozoans, amoeba, and many others. The cellular traits that constitute these forms require an evolutionary explanation. Ultimately, the persistence of a cellular trait depends on its net contribution to fitness, a quantitative measure. Independent of any positive effects, a cellular trait exhibits a baseline energetic cost that needs to be accounted for when quantitatively examining its net fitness effect. Here, we explore how the energetic burden introduced by a cellular trait quantitatively affects cellular fitness, describe methods for determining cell energy budgets, summarize the costs of cellular traits across the tree of life, and examine how the fitness impacts of these energetic costs compare to other evolutionary forces and trait benefits.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2119963
PAR ID:
10594803
Author(s) / Creator(s):
;
Publisher / Repository:
Annual Review of Biophysics
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Annual Review of Biophysics
Volume:
54
Issue:
1
ISSN:
1936-122X
Page Range / eLocation ID:
81 to 99
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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