{
  "abstract": "Coexistence between cooperative and cheating individuals remains a central puzzle in social evolution. Here, we investigate how population density modulates coexistence using Kluyveromyces lactis strains that interact via physical attachment. Snowflake (cooperative) strains flocculate into multicellular clusters that settle efficiently, while Co-Uni (cheater) strains remain planktonic unless attached to Snowflakes, enabling them to exploit settling benefits without contributing to cluster formation. We manipulated settling density over 15 transfers (~60 generations) to alter encounter rates between strains while holding initial frequencies constant. At high densities, Co-Uni persistence was stabilized by frequent co-settling with Snowflakes; at low densities, reduced interaction frequency drove more rapid exclusion. Model-based projections revealed that both the rate of exclusion and the predicted equilibrium frequency of Co-Uni depend on settling density. Direct measurements of settling fitness confirmed that Co-Uni strains were less enriched in the settled fraction at low densities. These results demonstrate that interaction frequency, as modified by population density, can shape the ecological stability of social traits even in the absence of evolved enforcement or metabolic exchange. Our findings support the idea that density acts as a generalizable structural constraint on coexistence in microbial systems.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America",
    "Bravo Farms and Laboratories, Los Saucos, Estado de México, Mexico"
  ],
  "article_type": "Research Article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 2,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Rodrigo Zorrilla González"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Michael Travisano"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/88dt06ttgjmht.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pone.0359779",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "88dt06ttgjmht",
  "issns": [
    "1932-6203"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0359779",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "3312|Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Evolutionary biology/Evolutionary processes/Evolutionary adaptation"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Evolutionary biology/Organismal evolution/Microbial evolution"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Microbiology/Microbial evolution"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Mycology/Fungal evolution"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Organisms/Eukaryota/Fungi/Yeast/Saccharomyces/Saccharomyces cerevisiae"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Population biology/Population metrics/Population density"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Species interactions"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Mathematics/Statistics/Statistical methods/Analysis of variance"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Mathematics/Statistics/Statistical methods/Regression analysis/Linear regression analysis"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Research and analysis methods/Animal studies/Experimental organism systems/Model organisms/Saccharomyces cerevisiae"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Research and analysis methods/Animal studies/Experimental organism systems/Yeast and fungal models/Saccharomyces cerevisiae"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Research and analysis methods/Mathematical and statistical techniques/Statistical methods/Analysis of variance"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Research and analysis methods/Mathematical and statistical techniques/Statistical methods/Regression analysis/Linear regression analysis"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Research and analysis methods/Model organisms/Saccharomyces cerevisiae"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7215083906",
  "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0359779&type=printable",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-01",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/88dt06ttgjmht.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:37Z",
      "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pone.0359779",
      "source": "plos",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0359779"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "plos:evolutionary biology",
      "subfield": "evolutionary-biology"
    },
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "plos:microbiology",
      "subfield": "microbiology"
    },
    {
      "field": "mathematics",
      "origin": "plos:statistical methods",
      "subfield": "statistics"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Population density constrains coexistence of cooperative and cheating Kluyveromyces lactis through frequency-dependent physical interactions",
  "title_text": "Population density constrains coexistence of cooperative and cheating Kluyveromyces lactis through frequency-dependent physical interactions",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:37Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/88dt06ttgjmht",
  "venue": "PLOS One",
  "versions": []
}