Eukaryotes emerged in more tender environments than planned

2010/12/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Biologia
• Eboluzioa
• Genetika

The origin of eukaryotes (fungi, plants and animals, among others) has been located in microorganisms that inhabit waters located in the depth or boiling point of the huge layers of ice. However, a study from the University of Oxford suggests that they arose in much milder environments.

At present, living beings are divided into three domains: archaeologists, bacteria and eukaryotes. Eukaryotes are closer to archaeologists than to bacteria. And since most arches are microorganisms that live in extreme conditions, eukaryotes are believed to originate in such places. However, the specific origin of eukaryotes was not clear.

Researchers at Oxford have built a new phylogenetic tree of archaeologists who, crossed with their own, have discovered that archaeologists closest to eukaryotes belong to the recently discovered Thaumarchaea family. And unlike most arches, those of the Thaumarchaea family live in environments of normal conditions, both in the oceans and in soils.