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Evolution

Steps on the road to eukaryotes

Nature volume 521, pages 169–170 (2015)Cite this article

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A new archaeal phylum represents the closest known relatives of eukaryotes, the group encompassing all organisms that have nucleated cells. The discovery holds promise for a better understanding of eukaryotic origins. See Article p.173

There are many competing hypotheses1 for how eukaryotic cells, which contain a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles, evolved from their prokaryotic ancestors, whose cells lack a nucleus. But testing these theories has been difficult owing to a lack of known intermediate stages in the prokaryote-to-eukaryote transition. On page 173 of this issue, Spang et al.2 describe a prokaryotic lineage that is more closely related to eukaryotes than any yet sampled and that shares with eukaryotes several genes previously thought to define aspects of eukaryotic biology. This technically outstanding paper has far-reaching implications for how we view early eukaryotic evolution, including our own deep ancestry.

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Figure 1: Lokiarchaeota are the closest known prokaryotic relatives of eukaryotes.

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  1. T. Martin Embley and Tom A. Williams are at the Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK.,

    T. Martin Embley & Tom A. Williams

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  1. T. Martin Embley
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  2. Tom A. Williams
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Correspondence to T. Martin Embley or Tom A. Williams.

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Embley, T., Williams, T. Steps on the road to eukaryotes. Nature 521, 169–170 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14522

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