A virus that infected the first animals hundreds of millions of years ago has become essential for the development of the embryo
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1031860
KEY POINTS: At least 8% of the human genome is genetic material from viruses. It was considered ‘junk DNA’ until recently, but its role in human development is now known to be essential, Researchers at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) describe for the first time the role of these viruses in a key process in development, when cells become pluripotent few hours after fertilization, The finding, published in Science Advances, is relevant for regenerative medicine and for the creation of artificial embryos. (MORE - no ads)
North China fossils show eukaryotes first acquired multicellularity 1.63 billion years ago
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1032239
INTRO: In a study published in Science Advances on Jan. 24, researchers led by Prof. ZHU Maoyan from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences reported their recent discovery of 1.63-billion-year-old multicellular fossils from North China.
These exquisitely preserved microfossils are currently considered the oldest record of multicellular eukaryotes. This study is another breakthrough after the researchers’ earlier discovery of decimeter-sized eukaryotic fossils in the Yanshan area of North China, and pushes back the emergence of multicellularity in eukaryotes by about 70 million years.
All complex life on Earth, including diverse animals, land plants, macroscopic fungi, and seaweeds, are multicellular eukaryotes. Multicellularity is key to eukaryotes acquiring organismal complexity and large size, and is often regarded as a major transition in the history of life on Earth. However, scientists have been unsure when eukaryotes evolved this innovation.
Fossil records offering convincing evidence show that eukaryotes with simple multicellularity, such as red and green algae, and putative fungi, appeared as early as 1.05 billion years ago. Older records have claimed to be multicellular eukaryotes, but most of them are controversial because of their simple morphology and lack of cellular structure... (MORE - no ads)
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1031860
KEY POINTS: At least 8% of the human genome is genetic material from viruses. It was considered ‘junk DNA’ until recently, but its role in human development is now known to be essential, Researchers at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) describe for the first time the role of these viruses in a key process in development, when cells become pluripotent few hours after fertilization, The finding, published in Science Advances, is relevant for regenerative medicine and for the creation of artificial embryos. (MORE - no ads)
North China fossils show eukaryotes first acquired multicellularity 1.63 billion years ago
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1032239
INTRO: In a study published in Science Advances on Jan. 24, researchers led by Prof. ZHU Maoyan from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences reported their recent discovery of 1.63-billion-year-old multicellular fossils from North China.
These exquisitely preserved microfossils are currently considered the oldest record of multicellular eukaryotes. This study is another breakthrough after the researchers’ earlier discovery of decimeter-sized eukaryotic fossils in the Yanshan area of North China, and pushes back the emergence of multicellularity in eukaryotes by about 70 million years.
All complex life on Earth, including diverse animals, land plants, macroscopic fungi, and seaweeds, are multicellular eukaryotes. Multicellularity is key to eukaryotes acquiring organismal complexity and large size, and is often regarded as a major transition in the history of life on Earth. However, scientists have been unsure when eukaryotes evolved this innovation.
Fossil records offering convincing evidence show that eukaryotes with simple multicellularity, such as red and green algae, and putative fungi, appeared as early as 1.05 billion years ago. Older records have claimed to be multicellular eukaryotes, but most of them are controversial because of their simple morphology and lack of cellular structure... (MORE - no ads)