A Cell So Minimal That It Challenges Definitions of Life
7 hours ago
- #parasitism
- #microbiology
- #genome
- Scientists discovered a single-celled organism with an extremely small genome, challenging definitions of life.
- The organism, named Candidatus Sukunaarchaeum mirabile, lacks essential metabolic genes, relying entirely on a host for survival.
- Its genome is only 238,000 base pairs, the smallest known for an archaeon, and retains genes primarily for replication.
- The discovery suggests a vast, hidden diversity of parasitic microbes with highly reduced genomes.
- The organism may represent a new form of life that blurs the line between living cells and viruses.
- Researchers speculate that similar minimalist life forms might be common but overlooked due to their tiny genomes.
- The findings prompt a reevaluation of how life is defined, given such extreme genomic reductions.