BETA
Chapter 1
Discovery of a microscopic marvel
Chapter 2
Life stripped to its core
Chapter 3
The viral shadow
Chapter 4
Redefining what is alive
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.
futura A fraction of the microbe's tiny genome consists of mysterious genes that scientists cannot identify.
futura Despite its tiny genome, the microbe retains the exact tools needed to read and copy its own DNA.
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?