Ancient fossil from China reveals animal‑microbe partnerships dating back 550 million years
We often think of microbes as organisms that live around us, like the Salmonella bacteria and flu viruses that cause illness. But some of our most intimate relationships are with the microbes living inside us.
A new study reveals that ancient animals from 550 million years ago in China likely formed symbiotic partnerships with sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. This research, led by Zhenfei Wang and Yongbo Peng from Nanjing University, analyzed sulfur and molybdenum isotopes in exceptionally preserved fossils of Conotubus, an Ediacaran tubular animal.
The results suggest that these early animals relied on bacteria capable of using hydrogen sulfide as an energy source, helping them thrive in low-oxygen, sulfide-rich marine environments. This partnership enabled Conotubus to exploit challenging conditions that would have otherwise been inhospitable to other animals. The findings suggest that microbial relationships were already significant in helping early animals adapt to Earth's changing climates and environments, marking an important chapter in the evolutionary history of life on our planet.
Written by urgent.news from Phys.org's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
