EMBO Member
Thijs Ettema
EMBO 2023
Former EMBO Young Investigator (2016)
University, Wageningen, Netherlands
Resolving the elusive origin of eukaryotes
My group uses various genomics and cultivation-based approaches to explore the microbial world to obtain a better understanding of major transitions during the evolution of life. Of particular interest is the origin of the eukaryotic cell, which evolved via a merger of an Asgard archaeal host cell and a mitochondrial symbiont. By studying present-day relatives of these cells, we hope to gain insight into the emergence of complex cellular life.
Keywords
Microbial evolution / archaea / eukaryogenesis / symbiosis / microbiome / phylogenomics / tree of life / microbial diversity