Ohio Wesleyan Professor Contributes to Groundbreaking Research in Nature Physics Journal
A new study published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Nature Physics has provided fundamental insights into the early evolution of multicellular organization, shedding light on a long-standing question in life sciences. Hanliang “Han” Guo, an assistant professor of Mathematics and Computer Science at Ohio Wesleyan University, is among the co-authors of this research.
The study, titled “Cooperative hydrodynamics accompany multicellular-like colonial organization in the unicellular ciliate Stentor,” explores how single-celled organisms transition into more complex multicellular ones. Guo’s team discovered that a dynamic-colony formation provides a hydrodynamic benefit to nutrient uptake, which could have implications for early evolution.
The researchers focused on the unicellular pond organism Stentor coeruleus, which exhibits a unique behavior of switching between swimming and sessile modes. The team demonstrated that Stentor pairs generate stronger feeding currents compared to solitary organisms, but wondered why Stentors would switch back to isolated swimming mode if partnering is advantageous.
To answer this question, the researchers used a combination of experiments and mathematical modeling. Their findings showed that individual Stentors in dynamic colonies have stronger feeding flows on average, providing an explanation for the observed head-swaying behavior.
While this study only explores one aspect of early evolution, it contributes to our understanding of how single-celled organisms adapt and transition into more complex forms. Guo’s work highlights the importance of interdisciplinary research and collaboration, as he worked with a team from various institutions to achieve this breakthrough.
Source: https://www.owu.edu/news-media/details/insights-into-evolution