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Scientists Find Gut Microbe That Survives Without Mitochondria (npr.org)
An anonymous reader writes: Scientists have found a eukaryote microbe that completely lacks mitochondria, which are the powerhouses inside eukaryotic cells, the type of cells that make up humans, animals, plants and fungi. All eukaryotic cells contain a nucleus, organelles and mitochondrion. Scientists believe they were once free-living bacteria that got engulfed by primitive, ancient cells that were evolving to become what they are today. Anna Karnkowska, a researcher in evolutionary biology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, found a gut microbe that contains no trace that it made any mitochondrial proteins at all. "That should theoretically kill the cell -- it shouldn't exist," she said. The researchers learned that these cells use a kind of machinery that is different than relying on mitochondria to assemble iron-sulfur clusters, which is thought to be a mitochondrial function. Michael Gray, biochemist at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, calls the discovery of a eukaryote without any vestige of mitochondrion, "unprecedented." He adds, the results do not negate the idea that the acquisition of a mitochondrion was an important and perhaps defining event in the evolution of eukaryotic cells, because this organism's ancestors had mitochondria that were then lost after the cells acquired their non-mitochondrial system for making iron-sulfur clusters.
Repeat after me: "Mitochondria is not necessarily the powerhouse of the cell"
Well, for one thing, this type of science provides you with unlimited troll-fodder.
You label it a troll because you don't have an actual answer to the question. Typical.
This is good news. Finally, life has found a way to prevent a real Parasite Eve situation. Let's hope the mitochondria in existing life forms doesn't revolt.
It's like that quantum physics the young kids are talking about. That's never led anywhere.
Yet again, hyperbole trumps facts. The fringes of the eukaryota portion of the tree of life include anaerobic single celled organisms which do not have mitochondria any more, although their ancestors did. Parabasilids, which include the human pathogen Trichomonas vaginalis, are eukaryotes, are anaerobic, and yet are free of mitochondria. This NPR article is pretty much clickbait.
Scientists have found a eukaryote microbe that completely lacks mitochondria
The force is weak with this one.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
These microbes could evolve to be a species that negates the force! We must act now!
It means that we can expect to be able to create synthetic cells that have simpler energy systems and those systems could be exotic so that the cells could not survive outside of the laboratory. So this knowledge does in fact contain a very important insight that may profoundly effect how safely and cheaply we can make all forms of biological molecules, including drugs, on an industrial scale.
"Scientists have found a eukaryote microbe that completely lacks mitochondria..."
Hey there, my eukaryote microbial friend! Do you suffer from an embarrassing lack of mitochondria?
Abbot Labs Inc has the answer to your problem with our new, patented and 100% safe Mitochondria-Suppositories,
now with Activated Ribosomes! Order before midnight tonight and get a free infusion kit with your first shipment!
Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
Lots of science research has no immediate or apparent value, but may lead to something that does. It adds to the sum of human knowledge, which is usually a good thing.
By the way, stop rubbing those two sticks together, it's a waste of time that won't lead to anything. And that round "wheel" thing those eggheads came up with will never find a use, mark my words.
Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
It's like that quantum physics the young kids are talking about. That's never led anywhere.
Yeah, quarks and leptons and qubits my ass, it's all a bunch of hooey!
Seriously, though, the GP obviously does not comprehend the value of research and the follow-on discoveries that often result from it. I feel sorry for people like him. His idea of "research" probably consists of watching a new reality TV show or putting mayo on his fries.
Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
it's like that quantom computing that bearded kids talk about. That's never lead anywhere.
captcha: record
Basic research is what leads to medical breakthroughs, new drugs, etc etc. Increasing our understanding of other biological systems of different species helps better our understanding of our own biology. Possibly even saving our asses from some nasty new disease.
As for grant money from taxpayers, I think we get a better return on giving grant money to researchers than we do on defense spending.
It's amusing to me that for so many people funding military adventures in the mideast is a good use of taxpayer funds, but holy shit if we give money to those scientists!
I hope you die of a completely curable disease since you know, science.
If biology had any kind of 'first principles' like say physics or math, its researchers would not be constantly surprised by things like this. ..." thinking in biology to push the boundaries of what is known, to intuit what might not yet have been discovered the way there is (again) in math and physics. And since medical research depends in large part on biological foundations, what is the real hope progress?
There doesn't seem to be any "I wonder if
"Consensus" in science is _always_ a political construct.
It is indeed terrible when we learn stuff with taxpayer dollars. All learning should be the exclusive purview of government-chartered corporations.
W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
Scientists have confirmed 7th grade biology curriculum may have been incomplete, "they totally didn't talk about my sexual organs either" says dissected toad
While the paper makes comparisons to anaerobic bacteria found in intestines, the ones they're talking about are not.
I'm starting to feel ashamed reading Slashdot these days.
please stop using wifi, laptops or smart phone. You obviously don't want such benefits.
Bottom line, found a way to produce what was required differently, and evolved in that direction.