
고대 미화석은 지질학적 조건에 의해 형성된 지질학적 구조물이며, 이는 원시 생명체의 특성을 반영하지 않는다.


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Archaean Eon microfossils were known to have the most complex of prokaryotic morphologies. Given the morphology of an organism is governed by information encoded in its genome, it was proposed that these primitive organisms most likely possessed molecular biological processes. Here we worked with bacterial protoplasts, incapable of regulating either their morphology or reproductive processes. We then exposed these cells to environmental conditions of Archaean Earth to understand if cytological complexity of microfossils is a result of biological or ecological factors. As we reproduced the morphologies of all known Archean microfossils, we propose that complex morphologies of these microfossils could be explained not by presence but by complete absence of molecular biological mechanisms. Environmental conditions and architecture of the cell membrane are the only factors that determined the morphology of these organisms. Based on our observations we argue against the use of morphology in systemic paleontology and present a case for reinterpretation of Archaean microfossils as liposome like protocells.

One Sentence Summary Microfossils reported from Archaean BIF’s most likely were liposome like protocells, which had evolved mechanisms for energy conservation, but not for regulating cell morphology and replication.

### Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

고대 생명체의 기원에 대한 새로운 이해