基因祖先揭示了真核发生过程中多种微生物的关联，这一成果由巴塞罗那超级计算中心（BSC）Toni Gabaldón小组经过不懈努力而取得。2026年6月10日出版的《自然》发表了这项成果。

为了解决这些问题，课题组人员采用了先进的系统基因组学方法和全面的数据集，涵盖了已知的细胞生命和病毒主题的多样性。他们的分析提供了最后的真核生物共同祖先（LECA）蛋白质组的修订重建，其中小组追踪了每个蛋白质家族的系统发育起源。该研究团队发现了来自不同细菌供体的多波水平基因转移的令人信服的证据，其中一些可能早于线粒体内共生。

课题组研究人员推断了主要捐助者的可塑性特征及其对LECA的功能性贡献。他们的发现支持了水平基因转移对形成前LECA祖先蛋白质组的贡献，并提出了核病毒体病毒主题的促进作用。综上所述，他们的结果表明，古代真核生物可能起源于复杂的微生物生态系统，通过一系列不同的关联，留下了水平转移基因的足迹。

据介绍，真核生物的起源仍然是生物学中的一个中心谜题。关于α变形菌和阿斯加德古菌之间的共生关系的关键作用，持续的争论达成了一致。然而，其他潜在细菌伴侣的性质、时间和贡献以及与病毒主体相互作用的作用仍然存在争议。

附：英文原文

Title: Gene ancestries reveal diverse microbial associations during eukaryogenesis

Author: Bernabeu, Moiss, Manzano-Morales, Saioa, Marcet-Houben, Marina, Gabaldn, Toni

Issue&Volume: 2026-06-10

Abstract: The origin of eukaryotes remains a central enigma in biology1. Continuing debates agree on the pivotal role of a symbiosis between an alphaproteobacterium and an Asgard archaeon2,3. However, the nature, timing and contributions of other potential bacterial partners4,5,6 and the role of interactions with viruses7,8,9 remain contentious. To address these questions, we used advanced phylogenomic approaches and comprehensive datasets spanning the known diversity of cellular life and viruses. Our analysis provided a revised reconstruction of the last eukaryotic common ancestor (LECA) proteome, in which we traced the phylogenetic origin of each protein family. We found compelling evidence for multiple waves of horizontal gene transfer from diverse bacterial donors, with some likely to have preceded mitochondrial endosymbiosis. We inferred plausible traits of the major donors and their functional contributions to the LECA. Our findings support a contribution of horizontal gene transfers to shaping the proteomes of pre-LECA ancestors and suggest a facilitating role of Nucleocytoviricota viruses. Taken together, our results suggest that ancient eukaryotes may have originated within complex microbial ecosystems through a succession of diverse associations that left a footprint of horizontally transferred genes.

DOI: 10.1038/s41586-026-10639-9

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-10639-9