Scientists Observe Rare Evolutionary Event: Algae and Bacterium Merge to Form Single Organism

Get the latest in opinions and stay informed with our Voices newsletter. For the first time in at least a billion years, two lifeforms have merged to form a single organism through a process called primary endosymbiosis. This evolutionary event has only occurred twice in the history of the Earth. The second time saw the development of plants, and now an international team of scientists has observed this process happening between a species of algae and a bacterium commonly found in the ocean.

Tyler Coale, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Santa Cruz, led one of two recent studies that uncovered this phenomenon. The algae engulfs the bacterium, providing it with nutrients, energy, and protection in exchange for new functions such as nitrogen fixation from the air. The bacterium becomes an organelle within the algae, essential for its functioning.

The researchers believe that this discovery offers new insights into evolution and has the potential to revolutionize agriculture. Dr. Coale suggested that this system could provide a new perspective on nitrogen fixation and be engineered into crop plants to improve their nutritional content and sustainability. The research papers were published in scientific journals such as Science and Cell, with contributions from institutions such as MIT, UCSF, and Kochi University in Japan.