At a Glance
- Researchers have found that the emergence of eukaryotic cells was driven by a dramatic phase transition in gene growth, particularly involving the expansion of non-coding DNA sequences.
- Analysis of 6,519 species showed that a critical transition occurred as gene lengths reached about 1,500 nucleotides: protein lengths stabilized, but non-coding regions grew, allowing complex regulation.
- This phase transition marked the shift from simple prokaryotic cells to complex eukaryotic cells with advanced structures like the nucleus around 2.6 billion years ago.
- The study combines computational biology, evolutionary theory, and physics to show that the development of complex life was triggered by a sudden change in gene organization rather than gradual evolution.
- These findings offer a new framework for understanding major evolutionary transitions and highlight the profound importance of gene regulation in the history of life on Earth.
Researchers have uncovered new insights into one of the most important events in evolutionary history: the emergence of the eukaryotic cell. This discovery, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggests that the shift from simpler cells to more complex eukaryotic cells occurred due to a dramatic phase transition in gene growth. The study explored how genetic changes, including the growth of non-coding DNA, played a significant role in this transformation.
Scientists analyzed gene lengths across 6,519 species and found a clear pattern linking gene size to organism complexity. They discovered that proteins and their corresponding genes grew in size over time, with early organisms, like prokaryotes (bacteria and archaea), having small proteins. However, as gene lengths reached 1,500 nucleotides, a critical point occurred. At this juncture, protein lengths stabilized while genes grew, incorporating non-coding sequences that allowed more complex gene regulation.
The study revealed that this change marked the separation between two phases of life: the “coding phase” of prokaryotes and the “non-coding phase” of eukaryotes. This phase transition occurred about 2.6 billion years ago and allowed for the development of complex cellular structures, such as the nucleus, which separated transcription and translation processes. This innovation enabled the creation of the eukaryotic cell and unlocked the path toward even greater biological complexity, including the development of multicellular organisms.
This research combines computational biology, evolutionary biology, and physics to explain the origins of eukaryotic cells and their impact on life on Earth. The findings also suggest that the emergence of complex life forms was not simply a gradual process but involved a key transition in how genes were structured and regulated. This study opens the door for future research into other biological transitions and how they shape the evolution of life.
References
- Voigt, K. & Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. (2025, April 17). An evolutionary algorithmic phase transition 2.6 billion years ago may have sparked the emergence of eukaryotic cells. Phys.Org; Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-evolutionary-algorithmic-phase-transition-billion.html
- Muro, E. M., Ballesteros, F. J., Luque, B., & Bascompte, J. (2025). The emergence of eukaryotes as an evolutionary algorithmic phase transition. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 122(13), e2422968122. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2422968122
