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Researchers have discovered that the evolution of eukaryotic cells, a major step in life's complexity, involved a phase transition at a critical gene length of 1500 nucleotides. Analyzing 9,913 proteomes and 33,627 genomes, they found that gene length followed a log-normal distribution, growing exponentially over time. This transition, dated to 2.6 billion years ago, involved a shift from a 'coding phase' in prokaryotes to a 'non-coding phase' in eukaryotes, driven by the incorporation of non-coding sequences. This allowed for more efficient protein production, unlocking the path toward multicellularity and other complexities.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.