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Related Concept Videos

The Tree of Life - Bacteria, Archaea, Eukaryotes02:40

The Tree of Life - Bacteria, Archaea, Eukaryotes

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The “tree of life” describes the evolution of life and the evolutionary relationships between organisms. The root of the tree is the common ancestor to all life on Earth. All other species radiate from this point, much like the branches of a tree. The numerous tips of these branches on the tree of life represent every living, or extant, species. Extinct species, which are species that no longer exist, can be found towards the center of the tree. Currently, these organisms, both...
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Eukaryotic Evolution01:24

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The endosymbiont theory is the most widely accepted theory of eukaryotic evolution; however, its progression is still somewhat debated. According to the nucleus-first hypothesis, the ancestral prokaryote first evolved a membrane to enclose DNA and form the nucleus. Conversely, the mitochondria-first hypothesis suggests that the nucleus was formed after endosymbiosis of mitochondria.
Contrary to the endosymbiont theory, the eukaryote-first hypothesis proposes that the simpler prokaryotic and...
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Microbial Phylogeny01:28

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Understanding the evolutionary relationships among microorganisms is fundamental to microbial ecology and taxonomy. Phylogenetic trees are essential tools for inferring these relationships, relying primarily on comparative analyses of molecular sequences such as DNA, RNA, or proteins. In microbial studies, these trees typically depict the evolutionary paths of diverse bacterial and archaeal species by mapping genetic differences accumulated over time.Phylogenetic trees are composed of tips,...
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Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons02:54

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Genome comparison is one of the excellent ways to interpret the evolutionary relationships between organisms. The basic principle of genome comparison is that if two species share a common feature, it is likely encoded by the DNA sequence conserved between both species. The advent of genome sequencing technologies in the late 20th century enabled scientists to understand the concept of conservation of domains between species and helped them to deduce evolutionary relationships across diverse...
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Phylogeny01:23

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Phylogeny is concerned with the evolutionary diversification of organisms or groups of organisms. A group of organisms with a name is called a taxon (singular). Taxa (plural) can span different levels of the evolutionary hierarchy. For instance, the group containing all birds is a taxon (comprising the class Aves), and the group of all species of daisies (the genus Bellis) is a taxon. Phylogenies can likewise include just one genus (i.e., depict species relationships) or span an entire kingdom.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 2, 2026

Using Phylogenetic Analysis to Investigate Eukaryotic Gene Origin
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Evolution: rooting the eukaryotic tree of life.

Tom A Williams1

  • 1Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK.

Current Biology : CB
|February 22, 2014
PubMed
Summary

Determining the root of the eukaryotic tree is a significant evolutionary biology challenge. A new study uses mitochondrial genes to suggest the root lies between Excavates and all other eukaryotes, offering a novel view of early evolution.

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Molecular evolution
  • Phylogenetics

Background:

  • The evolutionary origin of eukaryotes and the placement of the root of the eukaryotic tree remain significant unresolved questions.
  • Understanding early eukaryotic evolution is crucial for deciphering the history of life on Earth.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the root of the eukaryotic tree of life.
  • To provide a new perspective on early eukaryotic evolution using molecular data.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of mitochondrial genes from diverse eukaryotic lineages.
  • Phylogenetic analyses to infer evolutionary relationships.

Main Results:

  • Mitochondrial gene data support the placement of the root between the Excavata and all other eukaryotic supergroups.

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  • This finding offers a novel phylogenetic hypothesis for early eukaryotic divergence.

    • Conclusions:

    • The study provides compelling evidence for a specific rooting of the eukaryotic tree.
    • This research contributes to a refined understanding of the evolutionary history and diversification of eukaryotes.