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True or false: bacteria can assume multicellular organizations

User Thmspl
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Final answer:

It is true that bacteria can form multicellular organizations such as biofilms, where they exhibit division of labor between different cells, similar to multicellular organisms; however, these structures are considered colonial rather than truly multicellular due to the independence of the individual bacterial cells.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that bacteria can assume multicellular organizations is true. Although bacteria are typically known as single-celled organisms, they can indeed form complex structures like biofilms, where they exhibit a division of labor among different cells, which is characteristic of multicellular organisms. However, it is important to differentiate between truly multicellular organisms, which have specialized cells making up different tissues and organs and require extensive intercellular communication and coordination, and colonial organisms like bacteria in biofilms. In the case of bacteria within biofilms, the cells can disconnect and survive independently, which is not the case for cells within a true multicellular organism.

Multicellular organization has evolved numerous times across different domains of life, both in simpler forms like colonies and in complex forms with specialized tissues and organs. The evolution of multicellular life from single-celled ancestors involves the development of mechanisms for cells to communicate and work together in a coordinated fashion, leading to higher levels of structural and functional complexity.

User Pedalpete
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