Author
Listed:
- Laura Eme
(Uppsala University
CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech)
- Daniel Tamarit
(Uppsala University
Wageningen University and Research
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Utrecht University)
- Eva F. Caceres
(Uppsala University
Wageningen University and Research)
- Courtney W. Stairs
(Uppsala University
Lund University)
- Valerie Anda
(University of Texas Austin
University of Texas Austin)
- Max E. Schön
(Uppsala University)
- Kiley W. Seitz
(University of Texas Austin
European Molecular Biology Laboratory)
- Nina Dombrowski
(University of Texas Austin
NIOZ, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research)
- William H. Lewis
(Uppsala University
Wageningen University and Research
University of Cambridge)
- Felix Homa
(Wageningen University and Research)
- Jimmy H. Saw
(Uppsala University
The George Washington University)
- Jonathan Lombard
(Uppsala University)
- Takuro Nunoura
(Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC))
- Wen-Jun Li
(Sun Yat-Sen University)
- Zheng-Shuang Hua
(University of Science and Technology of China)
- Lin-Xing Chen
(University of California)
- Jillian F. Banfield
(University of California
University of California)
- Emily St John
(Portland State University)
- Anna-Louise Reysenbach
(Portland State University)
- Matthew B. Stott
(University of Canterbury)
- Andreas Schramm
(Aarhus University)
- Kasper U. Kjeldsen
(Aarhus University)
- Andreas P. Teske
(University of North Carolina)
- Brett J. Baker
(University of Texas Austin
University of Texas Austin)
- Thijs J. G. Ettema
(Uppsala University
Wageningen University and Research)
Abstract
In the ongoing debates about eukaryogenesis—the series of evolutionary events leading to the emergence of the eukaryotic cell from prokaryotic ancestors—members of the Asgard archaea play a key part as the closest archaeal relatives of eukaryotes1. However, the nature and phylogenetic identity of the last common ancestor of Asgard archaea and eukaryotes remain unresolved2–4. Here we analyse distinct phylogenetic marker datasets of an expanded genomic sampling of Asgard archaea and evaluate competing evolutionary scenarios using state-of-the-art phylogenomic approaches. We find that eukaryotes are placed, with high confidence, as a well-nested clade within Asgard archaea and as a sister lineage to Hodarchaeales, a newly proposed order within Heimdallarchaeia. Using sophisticated gene tree and species tree reconciliation approaches, we show that analogous to the evolution of eukaryotic genomes, genome evolution in Asgard archaea involved significantly more gene duplication and fewer gene loss events compared with other archaea. Finally, we infer that the last common ancestor of Asgard archaea was probably a thermophilic chemolithotroph and that the lineage from which eukaryotes evolved adapted to mesophilic conditions and acquired the genetic potential to support a heterotrophic lifestyle. Our work provides key insights into the prokaryote-to-eukaryote transition and a platform for better understanding the emergence of cellular complexity in eukaryotic cells.
Suggested Citation
Laura Eme & Daniel Tamarit & Eva F. Caceres & Courtney W. Stairs & Valerie Anda & Max E. Schön & Kiley W. Seitz & Nina Dombrowski & William H. Lewis & Felix Homa & Jimmy H. Saw & Jonathan Lombard & Ta, 2023.
"Inference and reconstruction of the heimdallarchaeial ancestry of eukaryotes,"
Nature, Nature, vol. 618(7967), pages 992-999, June.
Handle:
RePEc:nat:nature:v:618:y:2023:i:7967:d:10.1038_s41586-023-06186-2
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06186-2
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Cited by:
- Tara A. Mahendrarajah & Edmund R. R. Moody & Dominik Schrempf & Lénárd L. Szánthó & Nina Dombrowski & Adrián A. Davín & Davide Pisani & Philip C. J. Donoghue & Gergely J. Szöllősi & Tom A. Williams & , 2023.
"ATP synthase evolution on a cross-braced dated tree of life,"
Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-18, December.
- Zhongyi Lu & Runyue Xia & Siyu Zhang & Jie Pan & Yang Liu & Yuri I. Wolf & Eugene V. Koonin & Meng Li, 2024.
"Evolution of optimal growth temperature in Asgard archaea inferred from the temperature dependence of GDP binding to EF-1A,"
Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-7, December.
- Simona Pilotto & Michal Sýkora & Gwenny Cackett & Christopher Dulson & Finn Werner, 2024.
"Structure of the recombinant RNA polymerase from African Swine Fever Virus,"
Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.
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