abstract: The origin of the eukaryotic cell, with its compartmentalized nature and
  generally large size compared with bacterial and archaeal cells, represents a cornerstone
  event in the evolution of complex life on Earth. In a process referred to as eukaryogenesis,
  the eukaryotic cell is believed to have evolved between approximately 1.8 and 2.7
  billion years ago from its archaeal ancestors, with a symbiosis with a bacterial
  (proto-mitochondrial) partner being a key event. In the tree of life, the branch
  separating the first from the last common ancestor of all eukaryotes is long and
  lacks evolutionary intermediates. As a result, the timing and driving forces of
  the emergence of complex eukaryotic features remain poorly understood. During the
  past decade, environmental and comparative genomic studies have revealed vital details
  about the identity and nature of the host cell and the proto-mitochondrial endosymbiont,
  enabling a critical reappraisal of hypotheses underlying the symbiotic origin of
  the eukaryotic cell. Here we outline our current understanding of the key players
  and events underlying the emergence of cellular complexity during the prokaryote-to-eukaryote
  transition and discuss potential avenues of future research that might provide new
  insights into the enigmatic origin of the eukaryotic cell.
authors:
- Vosseberg, Julian
- van Hooff, Jolien J E
- Köstlbacher, Stephan
- Panagiotou, Kassiani
- Tamarit, Daniel
- Ettema, Thijs J G
doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07677-6
issn: 0028-0836,1476-4687
issue: '8029'
journal: Nature
language: en
lastmod: '2024-09-11'
pages: 295-305
path: /library/vosseberg-2024.html
pmid: '39261613'
published: '2024-09-11'
publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
reference: Vosseberg 2024
title: The emerging view on the origin and early evolution of eukaryotic cells
type: article
volume: '633'
year: 2024