Bell P J
J Mol Evol. 2001 Sep;53(3):251-6. doi: 10.1007/s002390010215.
In the theory of viral eukaryogenesis I propose here, the eukaryotic nucleus evolved from a complex DNA virus. It is proposed that the virus established a persistent presence in the cytoplasm of a methanogenic mycoplasma and evolved into the eukaryotic nucleus by acquiring a set of essential genes from the host genome and eventually usurping its role. It is proposed that several characteristic features of the eukaryotic nucleus derive from its viral ancestry. These include mRNA capping, linear chromosomes, and separation of transcription from translation. In the model, phagocytosis and other membrane fusion-based processes are derived from viral membrane fusion processes and evolved in concert with the nucleus. The coevolution of phagocytosis and the nucleus rendered much of the host archaeal genome redundant since the protoeukaryote could obtain raw materials and energy by engulfing bacterial syntrophs/prey. This redundancy allowed loss of the archaeal chromosome, generating an organism with eukaryotic features. The evolution of phagocytosis allowed the eukaryotes to be the first organisms to occupy the niche of predator.
在我在此提出的病毒真核生物起源理论中，真核细胞核由一种复杂的DNA病毒进化而来。有人提出，该病毒在产甲烷支原体的细胞质中持续存在，并通过从宿主基因组获取一组必需基因并最终篡夺其作用而进化成真核细胞核。有人提出，真核细胞核的几个特征源自其病毒祖先。这些特征包括mRNA加帽、线性染色体以及转录与翻译的分离。在该模型中，吞噬作用和其他基于膜融合的过程源自病毒膜融合过程，并与细胞核协同进化。吞噬作用和细胞核的共同进化使宿主古菌基因组的大部分变得多余，因为原真核生物可以通过吞噬细菌共生体/猎物来获取原材料和能量。这种冗余导致古菌染色体丢失，产生了具有真核特征的生物体。吞噬作用的进化使真核生物成为首个占据捕食者生态位的生物体。
