Viral eukaryogenesis
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Viral eukaryogenesis is the hypothesis that the cell nucleus of eukaryotic life forms evolved from a large DNA virus in a form of endosymbiosis within an archaeon or a bacterium. The virus later evolved into the eukaryotic nucleus by acquiring genes from the host genome and eventually usurping its role. In 2001, the hypothesis was initially proposed by Masaharu Takemura and later by Philip Bell, and it was further popularized with the discovery of large, complex DNA viruses (such as Mimivirus) that are capable of protein biosynthesis.