What is the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA)?

LUCA is the hypothesized common ancestor from which all modern cellular life, from single-celled organisms like bacteria to the gigantic redwood trees (as well as us humans), descends.

What is the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA)?

About LUCA:

  • LUCA is the hypothesized common ancestor from which all modern cellular life, from single-celled organisms like bacteria to the gigantic redwood trees (as well as us humans), descends
  • LUCA represents the root of the tree of life before it splits into the groups, recognized today: Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya.
  • Modern life evolved from LUCA from various different sources: the same amino acids used to build proteins in all cellular organisms, the shared energy currency (ATP), the presence of cellular machinery like the ribosome and others associated with making proteins from the information stored in DNA, and even the fact that all cellular life uses DNA itself as a way of storing information.
  • Through genetic analysis and evolutionary modeling, researchers pinpointed LUCA’s existence to about 4.2 billion years ago, just 400 million years after the formation of Earth and our Solar System.
  • LUCA is not too different from modern prokaryotes, and clearly possessed an early immune system.

Q1: What are prokaryotes?

Prokaryotes are a group of organisms that constitute one of the two major domains of life, the other being eukaryotes. They are single-celled organisms that lack a distinct nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles. Prokaryotes include bacteria and archaea.

Source: Searching for LUCA, the first life-form from which all other life descended

Latest UPSC Exam 2025 Updates

Last updated on June, 2025

UPSC Notification 2025 was released on 22nd January 2025.

UPSC Prelims Result 2025 is out now for the CSE held on 25 May 2025.

UPSC Prelims Question Paper 2025 and Unofficial Prelims Answer Key 2025  are available now.

UPSC Calendar 2026 is released on 15th May, 2025.

→ The UPSC Vacancy 2025 were released 1129, out of which 979 were for UPSC CSE and remaining 150 are for UPSC IFoS.

UPSC Mains 2025 will be conducted on 22nd August 2025.

UPSC Prelims 2026 will be conducted on 24th May, 2026 & UPSC Mains 2026 will be conducted on 21st August 2026.

→ The UPSC Selection Process is of 3 stages-Prelims, Mains and Interview.

UPSC Result 2024 is released with latest UPSC Marksheet 2024. Check Now!

UPSC Toppers List 2024 is released now. Shakti Dubey is UPSC AIR 1 2024 Topper.

→ Also check Best IAS Coaching in Delhi

Vajiram Editor
Vajiram Editor
UPSC GS Course 2026
UPSC GS Course 2026
₹1,75,000
Enroll Now
GS Foundation Course 2 Yrs
GS Foundation Course 2 Yrs
₹2,45,000
Enroll Now
UPSC Prelims Test Series
UPSC Prelims Test Series
₹6000
Enroll Now
UPSC Mains Test Series
UPSC Mains Test Series
₹16000
Enroll Now
UPSC Mentorship Program
UPSC Mentorship Program
₹85000
Enroll Now
Enquire Now