Deucaryogenesis

Deucaryogenesis is a hypothetical process in abiogenesis, the study of how life might arise from non-living matter. The term refers to a proposed intermediate step between prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells. Prokaryotes are simple cells lacking a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles, while eukaryotes are more complex cells that possess these structures.

The idea of deucaryogenesis suggests that a cell type with features intermediate to prokaryotes and eukaryotes might have existed. This hypothetical deucaryote could have possessed some of the complexity of eukaryotes, such as internal compartmentalization or a more advanced genetic system, without having a fully formed nucleus or the range of organelles found in modern eukaryotes.

The concept is explored in theoretical models of early life evolution. It aims to bridge the significant evolutionary gap between the earliest known life forms, which were prokaryotic, and the emergence of the much more complex eukaryotic cells that form the basis of all multicellular life and many single-celled organisms today. Evidence for deucaryogenesis is indirect and debated, relying on interpretations of gene sequences, cellular structures observed in some modern microbes, and theoretical biochemical pathways. It remains an area of active research and speculation within evolutionary biology.