The energetics of genome complexity.
All complex life is composed of eukaryotic (nucleated) cells. The eukaryotic cell arose from prokaryotes just once in four billion years, and otherwise prokaryotes show no tendency to evolve greater complexity. Why not? Prokaryotic genome size is constrained by bioenergetics. The endosymbiosis that gave rise to mitochondria restructured the distribution of DNA in relation to bioenergetic membranes, permitting a remarkable 200,000-fold expansion in the number of genes expressed. This vast leap in genomic capacity was strictly dependent on mitochondrial power, and prerequisite to eukaryote complexity: the key innovation en route to multicellular life.
Lane
Nick
N
Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London W1E 6BT, UK. nick.lane@ucl.ac.uk
Martin
William
W
D000332:Aerobiosis; D000693:Anaerobiosis; D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics; D048429:Cell Size; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005057:Eukaryotic Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015870:Gene Expression; D050259:Genes, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D016678:Genome / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D011387:Prokaryotic Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013559:Symbiosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology