New Life form discovered Lokiarchaeota - cross between eukaryotes and prokaryotes

by cantleave 9 Replies latest jw friends

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  cantleave

  This discovery is a major step in our understanding the diversification of life.

  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-32610177
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  cofty

  Thanks. Marking for later.
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  Vidiot

  "...cross between eukaryotes and prokaryotes..."

  The product of some freaky single-cell-on-single-cell action...
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  cantleave

  Cross is the wrong word, just me playing around with a heading. The Lokiarchaeota although more prokaryote in nature possess genes that give rise to structures found in eukaryotes even though those genes do not perform the same function in Lokiarchaeota as they do in the more complex eukaryote cells.
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  cantleave

  New Scientist adds some more detail . (Cofty - Nick lane is quoted in this article)

  http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22630204.000-microbes-found-at-bottom-of-ocean-are-our-longlost-relatives.html?utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=SOC&utm_campaign=hoot&cmpid=SOC%257CNSNS%257C2015-GLOBAL-hoot#.VUu6YflViko
  
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  Oubliette

  Interesting. I just shared this with my biology students!
  
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  cofty

  Bumping this thread for anybody who missed it.

  This is a major development in the search for the steps between prokaryotic eukaryotic cells.

  Thanks Cantleave
• 

  truthseeker100

  When I was young I used to get excited by discoveries like this. I just don't think the world cares anymore.
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  adjusted knowledge

  I will have to read latter. It will be interesting if they talk about the subject of how eukaryote cells gained organelles. One theory that I've read is prokaryote cells devouring other life forms that eventually served as organelles. The mitochondria was believed to be a prokaryotic cell at one time.
  
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  cofty

  Yes it was the late Lynne Margulies who pioneered the hypothesis of endosymbiosis. Her hard work and persistence was a classic example of how science works.