17 June 2026
Reconstruction of the ancestral gene repertoire of eukaryotic cells reveals traces of a series of close, long-term interactions with diverse microorganisms, and a role of viruses in gene exchange. The findings challenge the view that eukaryotic cells evolved from a simple merger of just two organisms.
This is a summary of: Bernabeu, M. et al. Gene ancestries reveal diverse microbial associations during eukaryogenesis. Nature https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10639-9 (2026).
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