Discover the incredible evolutionary event of primary endosymbiosis where two life forms have merged into one organism. This rare occurrence has only happened twice in Earth’s history, resulting in the emergence of mitochondria and plants. A recent study by an international team of scientists observed this process taking place between algae and bacteria found in the ocean.
Tyler Cole, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Santa Cruz, led one of the studies that uncovered this phenomenon. The algae engulfed the bacterium, providing it with nutrients, energy and protection in exchange for new functions such as nitrogen fixation from the air. The bacterium became an organelle within the alga, essential to its functioning.
The discovery offers new insights into evolution and has potential to revolutionize agriculture. Dr. Cole suggests that this system could provide a new perspective on nitrogen fixation and be incorporated into plants. The research papers were published in scientific journals Science and Cell, with contributions from institutions such as MIT, UCSF and Kochi University in Japan.