Eukaryogenesis reenacted - testing evolutionary models in miniscule droplets

The evolution of complex multicellular life is rooted in the origin of the eukaryotic cell, yet it is unclear how the first eukaryotic organism emerged. Contemporary, yet competing evolutionary models agree on a central early interaction between the Archaea and the Bacteria. However, the events transpiring between these divergent microorganisms remain enigmatic. I will set the stage for the reenactment of eukaryogenesis by highly parallelized droplet co-cultivation of archaealbacterial consortia, resulting in unmatched insights into cross-domain interactions among prokaryotic microorganisms. Ultimately, this will shed light on the transformative events leading to the evolution of complex multicellular organisms on Earth.