G. J. Velicer

Ecological histories determine the success of social exploitation

The paper shows that ecological history affects the success of social exploitation in bacteria, with resource-level histories influencing fitness outcomes between cooperators and cheaters.

Antagonistic, synergistic, and social pleiotropy in microbial cheaters

The paper investigates pleiotropic effects of cheater mutations in Myxococcus xanthus, showing antagonistic, synergistic, and social pleiotropy can both promote and limit cheating alleles.

Widespread density dependence of bacterial growth under acid stress

The paper tests for positive density dependence of growth under acid stress in five bacterial species and finds the Allee effect in all, with different mechanisms across species.

Hidden paths to endless forms most wonderful: Ecology latently shapes evolution of multicellular development in predatory bacteria

This study shows that ecological factors like surface stiffness and prey identity latently shape developmental traits in M. xanthus, affecting plasticity and canalization of multicellular development.

Social selection within aggregative multicellular development drives morphological evolution

The paper shows that social interactions during multicellular development influence morphological evolution in Myxococcus xanthus, with antagonistic partners promoting more robust fruiting body formation.

Behavioral interactions between bacterivorous nematodes and predatory bacteria in a synthetic community

This study examines behavioral interactions between predatory nematodes and bacteria in a synthetic microbial community, finding mutual behavioral influences and avoidance patterns.

Allopatric divergence of cooperators confers cheating resistance and limits the effects of a defector mutation

The paper shows that allopatric divergence of cooperators reduces cheater spread by limiting the range of cooperators a defector can exploit and altering mutation effects on social traits.

Hidden paths to endless forms most wonderful: Parasite-blind diversification of host quality

This study shows that host quality can diversify latently during parasite-blind evolution, with selective environments and ancestral genotypes shaping this diversification.

Facultative social exploitation among Myxoccocus bacteria due to non-responsive local competition

This study shows Myxococcus bacteria can facultatively exploit social partners through simple non-responsive local competition rather than complex adaptive traits.

Bacterial predator-prey coevolution accelerates genome evolution and selects on virulence-associated prey defences

This paper studies how bacterial predator-prey interactions drive genome evolution and select for virulence-associated prey defenses.