Chapter 1
Discovery of a microscopic marvel
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Chapter 2
Life stripped to its core
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Chapter 3
The viral shadow
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Chapter 4
Redefining what is alive
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YOUR GOAL
Master of The ghost microbe Sukunaarchaeum
Ch 2 · Life stripped to its core
futura Life stripped to its core
A tiny life form, Sukunaarchaeum mirabile, It blurs the line, Between a cell and a virus.
Fun Fact
Cellular minimalism: Sukunaarchaeum has zero metabolic pathways, meaning it cannot process energy or nutrients on its own, making it a complete metabolic parasite.
Glossary
genome (noun)
The complete set of genetic material present in a cell or organism. In 2025, researchers identified Sukunaarchaeum mirabile, an archaeon with an ultra-reduced genome of 238 kilobases.
The complete set of genetic material present in a cell or organism. In 2025, researchers identified Sukunaarchaeum mirabile, an archaeon with an ultra-reduced genome of 238 kilobases.
Quiz
What is the main functional bias of the remaining genes in the Sukunaarchaeum genome?
Quiz
What term describes an organism like Sukunaarchaeum that is entirely dependent on a host for survival?
Quiz
What crucial biological process is Sukunaarchaeum mirabile completely unable to perform on its own?
Quiz
Which cellular structures does Sukunaarchaeum possess that allow it to make its own proteins?