Identifying 'prime suspects': symbioses and the evolution of multicellularity

The possible involvement of symbioses in the evolution of multicellularity is explored. Evidence is drawn principally from the biology of present day associations of plants and animals with prokaryotes. A particular emphasis is placed on future research opportunities in this area of biology that hav e been provided by the advent of specific: molecular techniques and new mod el systems. With the application of new approaches that result from these a dvances, a more holistic understanding of the biology of the coevolved comm unities, composed of animals or plants and their associated prokaryotes, is within the reach of biologists over the next few decades. (C) 2001 Elsevie r Science Inc. All rights reserved.