Editor's Summary
21 June 2007
A host of options
It is generally agreed that the mitochondrion, powerhouse of the eukaryote cell, evolved from an engulfed bacterium. But what did the engulfing? Did an archaeon engulf a bacterium? Did an RNA cell engulf an archaeon and a mitochondrial ancestor? The permutations are seemingly endless. Anthony Poole and David Penny argue that in this field, speculation has run too rife. They say it's time to get back to basics — first, by taking a new look at the prematurely discarded protoeukaryote host theory.
Essay: Eukaryote evolution: Engulfed by speculation
The notion that eukaryotes evolved via a merger of cells from the other two domains — archaea and bacteria — overlooks known processes.
Anthony Poole & David Penny
doi:10.1038/447913a