Major Evolution in Action

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the concept of endosymbiosis, a significant evolutionary event where two different types of cells merge to form a new lineage, exemplified by the emergence of eukaryotes and plants. Key insights include the distinction between endosymbiosis and simple symbiosis, emphasizing irreversible envelopment and gene transfer as critical factors. The conversation references recent research, including a study on a ciliate with a degraded form of mitochondria that has acquired a bacterial symbiont capable of utilizing nitrate for ATP production. Relevant articles and studies are linked for further exploration of this evolutionary phenomenon.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of endosymbiotic theory
  • Familiarity with eukaryotic cell structure
  • Knowledge of gene transfer mechanisms
  • Basic concepts of phylogenetic trees
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the mechanisms of endosymbiosis in eukaryotic evolution
  • Explore the role of gene transfer in symbiotic relationships
  • Investigate the metabolic capabilities of bacterial symbionts in eukaryotes
  • Study the phylogenetic implications of endosymbiotic events
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Biologists, evolutionary scientists, and researchers interested in the mechanisms of cell evolution and symbiotic relationships will benefit from this discussion.

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TL;DR
Two lifeforms merge in once-in-a-billion years evolutionary event
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This is an interesting article about the likelihood of endosymbioses (combining two different kinds of cells together to make a new evolutionary line) occurring.

These can be major events in evolution (like making eukaryotes or plants), but maybe not always.

Here is a link to a thread I made on a similar Nature article a few years ago:
https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/new-eukaryotic-endosymbiont-found.1000450/
It involves a ciliate (eukaryote, normally with mitochondria) with a degraded form of mitochondria that acquired a bacterial symbiont that could make metabolic use of nitrate to generate ATP.

How might endosymbiosis be distinguished from just a symbiosis between cells exchanging nutrients adjacent to each other in their environment?
Here are some possibilities:
  • irreversible envelopment of one by the other. The internalized symbiont could be dependent on its host cell for a variety of reasons. If visualized as cell lineages (like a phylogenetic tree) the lineages of the internalized symbiont would be forever limited to being in the lineage of the host organism. Most likely the host would be dependent on the internalized symbiont in some way.
  • gene transfer (usually from the internalized symbiont genome to the host genome. This would provide a clear basis for the dependance of the internalized symbiont on the host.
 
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