Lokiarchaeota

Lokiarchaeota
SEM image of Candidatus Prometheoarchaeum syntrophicum
Scientific classification
Domain:
Archaea
Kingdom:
"Proteoarchaeota"
Superphylum:
Asgard
Phylum:
"Lokiarchaeota"

Spang et al. 2015
Class:
"Lokiarchaeia"

corrig. Spang et al. 2015
Order
  • "Lokiarchaeales" Spang et al. 2015

Lokiarchaeota is a proposed phylum of the Archaea.[1] The phylum includes all members of the group previously named Deep Sea Archaeal Group, also known as Marine Benthic Group B. Lokiarchaeota is part of the superphylum Asgard containing the phyla: Lokiarchaeota, Thorarchaeota, Odinarchaeota, Heimdallarchaeota, and Helarchaeota.[2] A phylogenetic analysis disclosed a monophyletic grouping of the Lokiarchaeota with the eukaryotes. The analysis revealed several genes with cell membrane-related functions. The presence of such genes support the hypothesis of an archaeal host for the emergence of the eukaryotes; the eocyte-like scenarios.

Lokiarchaeota was introduced in 2015 after the identification of a candidate genome in a metagenomic analysis of a mid-oceanic sediment sample. This analysis suggests the existence of a genus of unicellular life dubbed Lokiarchaeum. The sample was taken near a hydrothermal vent at a vent field known as Loki's Castle located at the bend between Mohns/Knipovich ridge in the Arctic Ocean.[3]

  1. ^ Lambert, Jonathan (9 August 2019). "Scientists glimpse oddball microbe that could help explain rise of complex life - 'Lokiarchaea', previously known only from DNA, is isolated and grown in culture". Nature. 572 (7769): 294. Bibcode:2019Natur.572..294L. doi:10.1038/d41586-019-02430-w. PMID 31409927.
  2. ^ Caceres, Eva F.; Lewis, William H.; Homa, Felix; Martin, Tom; Schramm, Andreas; Kjeldsen, Kasper U.; Ettema, Thijs J. G. (2019-12-18). "Near-complete Lokiarchaeota genomes from complex environmental samples using long and short read metagenomic analyses": 2019.12.17.879148. doi:10.1101/2019.12.17.879148. S2CID 213982145. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. ^ Spang, Anja; Saw, Jimmy H.; Jørgensen, Steffen L.; Zaremba-Niedzwiedzka, Katarzyna; Martijn, Joran; Lind, Anders E.; van Eijk, Roel; Schleper, Christa; Guy, Lionel; Ettema, Thijs J. G. (2015). "Complex archaea that bridge the gap between prokaryotes and eukaryotes". Nature. 521 (7551): 173–179. Bibcode:2015Natur.521..173S. doi:10.1038/nature14447. ISSN 0028-0836. PMC 4444528. PMID 25945739.