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Eukaryotic evolution, changes and challenges

Nature volume 440, pages 623–630 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

The idea that some eukaryotes primitively lacked mitochondria and were true intermediates in the prokaryote-to-eukaryote transition was an exciting prospect. It spawned major advances in understanding anaerobic and parasitic eukaryotes and those with previously overlooked mitochondria. But the evolutionary gap between prokaryotes and eukaryotes is now deeper, and the nature of the host that acquired the mitochondrion more obscure, than ever before.

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Figure 1: The general outline of eukaryote evolution provided by rooted rRNA trees.
Figure 2: Enzymes and pathways found in various manifestations of mitochondria.
Figure 3: Schematic tree of newer hypotheses for phylogenetic relationships among major groups of eukaryotes.
Figure 4: Models for eukaryote origins that are, in principle, testable with genome data.

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Acknowledgements

We thank M. Müller, J. Archibald, R. Hirt, K. Henze and L. Tielens, and members of our laboratories, for discussions.

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  1. School of Biology, The Devonshire Building, University of Newcastle upon, NE1 7RU, Newcastle, Tyne, UK

    T. Martin Embley

  2. Institute of Botany III, University of Düsseldorf, D-40225, Düsseldorf, Germany

    William Martin

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Embley, T., Martin, W. Eukaryotic evolution, changes and challenges. Nature 440, 623–630 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04546

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