Multiple Origins of Extracellular DNA Traps

Extracellular DNA traps (ETs) are evolutionarily conserved antimicrobial mechanisms present in protozoa, plants, and animals. In this review, we compare their similarities in species of different taxa, and put forward the hypothesis that ETs have multiple origins. Our results are consistent with a process of evolutionary convergence in multicellular organisms through the application of a congruency test. Furthermore, we discuss why multicellularity is related to the presence of a mechanism initiating the formation of ETs.

Automated summary

Extracellular DNA traps (ETs) are evolutionarily conserved antimicrobial mechanisms found in protozoa, plants, and animals. By comparing similarities in ETs across different taxa, it is suggested that ETs may have multiple origins. The presence of a mechanism initiating the formation of ETs in multicellular organisms indicates a relationship between multicellularity and the development of ETs.