A research team from UNSW Sydney, the University of Technology Sydney, and The University of Melbourne has published findings in Current Biology documenting the discovery of a microbe living in close partnership with another organism within stromatolites, which are layered microbial structures found in Shark Bay, a World Heritage site in Western Australia. The research may provide insights into how complex life emerged from simpler microbial forms, addressing a longstanding question in evolutionary biology.
The team isolated a member of the Asgard archaea, an unusual group of microbes believed to be ancestrally related to eukaryotes—the cells that constitute all plants and animals. One prevailing biological theory proposes that the first eukaryotic cell developed through an intimate partnership between an ancient archaeon and a bacterium, but scientists have lacked direct visual evidence of such early interactions. The new research provides the first documented evidence of an Asgard archaeon physically interacting with a bacterium through thin, tube-like connections called nanotubes, potentially demonstrating what an early cellular partnership may have resembled.
Cultivating the organisms proved challenging, requiring approximately four to five years of laboratory work. The researchers used electron cryotomography, a high-resolution 3D imaging technique, to observe the archaeon and bacterium physically connected by bacterial nanotubes. Analysis revealed that the two microbes appeared to complement each other chemically, with each producing compounds including vitamins, nutrients, and hydrogen that the other could utilize. The team also employed deep learning to predict protein structures within these microbes, revealing ancient versions of cellular machinery that later became central to complex life.
The newly identified archaeon has been named Nerearchaeum marumarumayae, combining a reference to Nereus, the ancient Greek sea god, with marumarumayae, meaning ‘ancient home’ in Malgana, one of the traditional languages of the Shark Bay region. The naming process included consultation with Malgana language experts and community elders to ensure respectful representation of Indigenous heritage. Shark Bay’s microbial communities offer researchers an opportunity to study conditions potentially resembling early Earth, while simultaneously representing an important part of living cultural heritage for Traditional Owners of the region.
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