Quantifying the energetic costs and growth benefits of phagocytosis.

Primitive phagocytosing cells can outperform non-phagocytosing ancestors in cellular performance, with benefits evident across various conditions, including when vacuoles are not recycled.

• Why it matters: Understanding the energetic costs and growth advantages of phagocytosis sheds light on its evolutionary origins and its role in developing complex eukaryotic cells, filling a key knowledge gap.
• What they did: A mathematical model was developed based on empirical data, integrating prey capture, engulfment, and digestion to compare the performance of primitive phagocytocers with non-phagocytosing ancestors.
• The result: The findings identify conditions under which phagocytosis is advantageous, providing benchmarks for genetic and mechanical studies, and suggest evolutionary pathways for the development of eukaryotic endomembranes.