Cell biology and ultrastructure of novel archaea

Evolution of the eukaryotic cells with membrane bound compartments from simple prokaryotic cells represents a major innovation in the history of life. In recent years, advances in genomic data have shown that archaea play a key role in prokaryote to eukaryote transition. In particular, Asgard archaea have been found encode eukaryotic signature proteins, indicating their genomes encode the genetic potential for a certain degree of eukaryote-like membrane biology, possibly including subcellular complexity. Yet, visual evidence to picture this complexity is thus far lacking.

We use various microscopy and staining techniques to visualise archaeal cells and their potential subcellular structures. We are also using state-of-the-art electron microscope techniques to image the ultrastructure of archaeal cells. We aim to elucidate the cell biology of archaea and to understand how the subcellular complexity of eukaryotes evolved.