Scientist Creates First New Symbiotic Organism in a Billion Years

In a groundbreaking development, scientist Yana Eglit has successfully fused an algae and a fungus, creating a new hybrid organism named E. subulata. This marks the first known natural symbiotic merger in a billion years, providing valuable insights into the evolution of eukaryotic cells.

Eukaryote cells, which are larger and more complex than prokaryotic cells, are believed to have been assembled from the combined parts of at least two or three single-celled organisms. The first eukaryotic cell is thought to have come together about 1.8 billion years ago when an archaeal microbe ingested a bacterium with the ability to generate energy, which eventually became the mitochondrion.

This symbiotic relationship was essential for the development of complex, multicellular life on Earth. Without the formation of eukaryotic cells, life as we know it today would not exist. Eglit's creation of the E. subulata hybrid represents a rare natural occurrence of such a symbiotic merger in modern times.

Why this matters: The successful fusion of an algae and fungus into a new symbiotic organism by Yana Eglit sheds light on a critical evolutionary process that hasn't been observed in nature for a billion years. Understanding how eukaryotic cells formed through symbiotic mergers is key to unraveling the origins and development of complex life on Earth.

Eglit's achievement opens up new avenues for studying the mechanisms and conditions that enable successful symbiotic mergers between different organisms. By examining the E. subulata hybrid in detail, scientists hope to gain a deeper understanding of how eukaryotic cells evolved and how this process contributed to the incredible diversity of life we see today.

Key Takeaways

• Scientist Yana Eglit fused algae and fungus, creating new hybrid E. subulata.
• E. subulata represents first known natural symbiotic merger in a billion years.
• Eukaryotic cells formed from symbiotic merger of archaeal and bacterial cells.
• Symbiotic mergers are key to understanding evolution of complex life on Earth.
• E. subulata hybrid offers insights into mechanisms enabling successful symbiotic mergers.