Prokaryote endosymbioses

A key event during the evolution of life on earth was the endosymbiotic association that gave rise to mitochondria. This singular event offered cells a new source of energy and established the eukaryotic lineage, responsible for all large multicellular organisms. Despite its significance, little is known about the likelihood or significance of acquiring an organelle like the mitochondrion, in general. In collaboration with Chris Kempes and Jordan Okie, we are working to fill in some of these knowledge gaps using eco-evolutionary modeling and allometric scaling. The aim is to uncover general principles that govern the probability, fitness consequences, and physiological tradeoffs of an endosymbiotic association.