LUCA
Science & Engineering abbreviation · Biology
| Stands for | Last universal common ancestor |
|---|---|
| Categories | Science & Engineering |
LUCA stands for Last universal common ancestor, a biology abbreviation.
Hypothetical population of organisms from which all life on Earth descends, the root of the tree of life shared by bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes. Comparing genes present across all three domains suggests LUCA was a single-celled microbe that already had DNA, ribosomes and a genetic code.
Example: A 2024 study estimated that LUCA lived about 4.2 billion years ago.
Usage notes
LUCA was not necessarily the first life, only the most recent ancestor of everything alive today; other lineages may have existed and gone extinct. Reconstructions suggest it may have lived in a hot, hydrogen-rich environment, but its nature remains debated. Pronounced "LOO-ka."
Related abbreviations
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- MIC – Minimum inhibitory concentration
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