The Tree Of Life Is Not A Tree

What is it about?

In this publication we have collated the various hypotheses concerning the origins of the eukaryotic cell. We have also collected together the data that might be relevant to understanding this event. We conclude that there was a significant merger event at the origins of eukaryotes and that several of the other hypotheses can be put aside either because of lack of evidence or because they have been falsified by the data.

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Why is it important?

The origin of the eukaryotic cell has been an enigma. Many dozens of ideas have been put forward for this event. Fortunately with the arrival of completed genomes from a wide diversity of organisms as well as the development of several different kinds of "omics" technologies (transcriptomics, proteomics, etc.), we can address the issue with more data than ever.