The ancestors of eukaryotic cells contained a mix of genes from various microbes

Nature, Published online: 17 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01739-7
Reconstruction of the ancestral gene repertoire of eukaryotic cells reveals traces of a series of close, long-term interactions with diverse microorganisms, and a role of viruses in gene exchange. The findings challenge the view that eukaryotic cells evolved from a simple merger of just two organisms. ...