#NatMicroPicks
Aerobic archaeal-eukaryotic ancestor? 🦠🫁
The ancestor of eukaryotes may have combined hydrogen metabolism with aerobic respiration, shaping early cellular complexity.
#MicroSky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#NatMicroPicks
Aerobic archaeal-eukaryotic ancestor? 🦠🫁
The ancestor of eukaryotes may have combined hydrogen metabolism with aerobic respiration, shaping early cellular complexity.
#MicroSky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Nature research paper: Oxygen metabolism in descendants of the archaeal-eukaryotic ancestor
go.nature.com/4rSfRRw
By combining the ecological and evolutionary analyses, we present a Heimdallarchaeia-centric model for the origin of eukaryotes, based on our expanded genomic catalogue. #eukaryogenesis
9/12
Cytochrome c oxidase subunits in
Heimdallarchaeia show sequence homology and structural similarity to eukaryotic Complex IV.
Thus, providing a new perspective of the increasing complexity of the electron transport chain in these archaea.
8/12
Sequence and structural analysis of [NiFel-hydrogenases and flanking Complex I-like subunits identified 19 novel subgroups (doubling groups 3 and 4). Extensive structural analyses across Asgardarchaeota may further bridge the evolution of group 4 [NiFel-hydrogenases and Complex I.
7/12
Our findings show the current closest archaeal order to eukaryotes, Hodarchaeales, has been identified primarily in shallow coastal sediments and encode cytochrome c oxidase, heme biosynthesis, & responses to reactive oxygen species. Hodarchaeales also co-occur with Alphaproteobacteria.
6/12
Open access to article rdcu.be/e4A70
21.02.2026 12:23 — 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
Open access to article rdcu.be/e4A70
21.02.2026 12:22 — 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
Open access to article rdcu.be/e4A70
21.02.2026 12:21 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
At long last! Check out the link to our publication in @nature.com to learn more. doi.org/10.1038/s415...
12/12
Cross-post on LinkedIn, since everyone is on LinkedIn these days:
www.linkedin.com/posts/jamesl...
Overview of the modular architecture of complex I–like respiratory complexes, from the fantastic review by Yu et al. (2021) JBC: https://www.jbc.org/article/S0021-9258(21)00529-9/fulltext
We found [NiFe]-hydrogenase complexes with structural architectures very similar to that of respiratory complex I. It's been known for a long time that [NiFe]-hydrogenase and complex I are evolutionarily related, but prior work showed that the configuration of their subunits differed (e.g., MBH)
19.02.2026 06:57 — 👍 6 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0
Oxygen metabolism in descendants of the archaeal-eukaryotic ancestor www.nature.com/articles/s41... #jcampubs
19.02.2026 14:46 — 👍 13 🔁 5 💬 1 📌 0
Obtaining these MAGs involved >10 TB of new sequencing to build the largest known deep-sea genomic database. We also incorporated previous sequencing from the Guaymas Basin and Bohai Sea.
This effort to identify Asgard archaea included 44 samples, >13,839 MAGs, and 34.5 billion reads (15 TB).
5/12
Here, we nearly double the number of Asgardarchaeota MAGs, including 136
Heimdallarchaeia (49 Hodarchaeales), along with several novel lineages. We also introduce a new class, Ranarchaeia.
4/12
Our massive genomic expansion of Asgard archaea reveals oxygen tolerance and potential aerobic respiration in descendants of the archaeal-eukaryotic ancestor!
#Asgardarchaeota 2/12
I will add if there's any wonder how much work this study was just have a look at the 170 pages SI file! static-content.springer.com/esm/art%3A10...
20.02.2026 14:06 — 👍 8 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
Hot eukaryogenesis news (is there any other kind?) - hydrogen production and aerobic respiration may have been present in the Asgard-eukaryotic ancestor - paper in @nature.com www.nature.com/articles/s41...
18.02.2026 19:17 — 👍 35 🔁 11 💬 0 📌 0
New research in @nature.com funded by our Life Sciences division: "Oxygen metabolism in descendants of the archaeal-eukaryotic ancestor." https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-10128-z
19.02.2026 21:34 — 👍 10 🔁 2 💬 1 📌 0
For more background - a nice short movie youtu.be/Jy_boPdY0zo?...
19.02.2026 11:23 — 👍 3 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
A short movie to accompany this youtu.be/Jy_boPdY0zo?...
19.02.2026 11:21 — 👍 3 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0Oxygen metabolism in descendants of the archaeal-eukaryotic ancestor
19.02.2026 03:37 — 👍 3 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
Open access to article rdcu.be/e4A70
18.02.2026 23:45 — 👍 8 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0
Some of our earliest microbial ancestors, the Asgard archaea, were able to use oxygen, says new study in @nature.com. It may solve a mystery about how complex life first arose.
#AsgardArchaea #MicrobialEcology #Eukaryogenesis #TexasScience @utmsi.bsky.social @archaeal.bsky.social
A pilot in a submersible vehicle collecting sediments samples in 30 meters of water looking for Asgards (microbial relatives of eukaryotes)
One of the biggest questions in biology is how complex cells evolved about 2 billion years ago. Here's my new story on how scientists are solving the mystery of eukaryotes like us. Gift link: nyti.ms/4qMbo22
18.02.2026 19:17 — 👍 340 🔁 103 💬 9 📌 8more pieces soon indeed, VERY soon ;)
18.02.2026 18:46 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Finally out in @nature.com: a new piece of the puzzle of how complex life evolved. Lead by @archaeal.bsky.social & @katyappler.bsky.social. Great collab with @greening.bsky.social and @kassipan.bsky.social. More pieces to follow soon! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
18.02.2026 17:59 — 👍 81 🔁 30 💬 4 📌 0
Carl Zimmer wrote a nice article highlighting our new paper that came out today.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/18/s...
