Unprecedented Evolutionary Breakthrough: Algae and Bacterium Merge to Form a New Organism through Primary Endosymbiosis

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A rare evolutionary phenomenon has been observed by an international team of scientists, as two life forms have merged to form a single organism through primary endosymbiosis. This event has only occurred twice in Earth’s history and has given rise to complex life forms like mitochondria and plants. Recently, this process was observed happening between a species of algae and a bacterium.

Tyler Coale, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Santa Cruz, led the research that uncovered this unique event. He explained how previous instances of primary endosymbiosis led to the diversity of life we see today. The algae engulfs the bacterium, providing nutrients and protection in exchange for new functions like nitrogen fixation. This symbiotic relationship results in the bacterium becoming an organelle within the algae, essential for its survival.

The scientists involved in the research, from institutions like MIT, UC Santa Cruz, and Kochi University in Japan, published their findings in prestigious scientific journals. This discovery not only sheds light on evolution but also has the potential to revolutionize agriculture by engineering similar organelles into crop plants.