Overview
- The Nature paper, which published on June 10, 2026, presents genomic reconstructions that support a gradual, multi‑species origin of eukaryotes rather than a single fusion event.
- Authors used the MareNostrum supercomputer to rebuild the gene repertoire of the Last Eukaryotic Common Ancestor (LECA) by comparing tens of thousands of bacterial, archaeal, viral and eukaryotic genomes.
- The analysis finds clear donor signals from bacterial groups Myxococcota and Planctomycetota and detects traces of giant viruses that could have moved genes between microbes.
- The team places mitochondrial acquisition as a later, decisive step that let emerging eukaryotes leave dense microbial mats, while noting the precise ancient setting and some donor assignments remain tentative.
- If confirmed, the findings will change textbook accounts of cell origins and could guide synthetic‑biology work that borrows natural mechanisms of gene exchange, but follow‑up studies are needed to test remaining uncertainties.