Microbe Mutations

When the player enters the Microbe Editor, they are able to place, alter, or remove mutations from their microbe, improving the cell and giving it new abilities. A mutation is a part or a change to an existing part.

Overview

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Mutations are added in the Microbe Editor. Mutations can be specific parts that you add to your cell, called Organelles, or they can be changes to existing parts like a change to the fluidity of the membrane.

Mutations are purchased in the editor using Mutation Points (MP). Every editor session grants only 100MP.

are Organelles can be gained through mutation, i.e. by purchasing them in the editor, or by endocytosis, which means engulfing cells that will grant one to you. The currency used in the editor to limit mutations is called Mutation Points.

Components of a Microbe

• Cytoplasm. The fluid inside the cell.
• Cell membrane. The surface of the microbe.
• Internal organelles. Functional parts inside the cell.
  • Nucleic core, mitochondria, vacuoles, bioluminescent organelle, chloroplasts, thermoplasts
• External organelles. Functional parts outside the cell.
  • Agent secretors
• Periphery organelles. Functional parts that cover the membrane. You can only have one periphery organelle at a time.
  • Cell wall, cilia, flagella

Current Organelles

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Rules and functions

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• Organelles grant functions or upgrades to a microbe. The possible functions are:
  • • Convert compounds to other compounds
    • Convert compounds to ATP
    • Store compounds for later consumption by other organelles
    • Produce agents, releasing them into the environment
    • Grant agent resistance
    • Change the microbe's visuals, e.g. bioluminescence

• Most organelles will consume a certain amount of ATP/s. Some organelles though produce ATP instead of consuming it, but require enough compounds to do so.
• Some organelles use compounds to perform their function.
• If there's insufficient compounds to "feed" an organelle, it automatically shuts down and becomes inactive
• If an organelle is inactive due to compound starvation, it is automatically reactivated as soon as there's enough compounds again
• Inactive organelles use a significantly lower amount of ATP and no compounds, but don't grant any benefit.
• Organelles in the player's microbe can be manually toggled on or off
• Organelles are placed on a hexagonal grid in the microbe editor (see the respective section for details)
• Each organelle has a pre-defined shape, i.e. a contiguous arrangement of hexagons it occupies
• Organelles can be upgraded during mutation. Organelles can be upgraded multiple times with cumulative effects
• Each upgrade gets progressively more expensive in terms of mutation points, while the relative improvement gained decreases with each upgrade (diminishing returns)

Types

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This list also includes the processes available. The words in bold are processes and are basically the ability of the cell and also the organelle.

Initial

• Cytoskeleton - Info: Allows for endocytosis. Allows the obtaining of cilia, flagellum or lamellipodes.

Cost:

• Nucleus - Info: Allows for replication. Can evolve into conjugal nuclei.
• Membrane - Allows for endocytosis. Can evolve into cell wall and allows for special signal proteins.

Cost:

• Endoplasmic Reticulum - Allows for protein synthesis.

Cost:

• Golgi Apparatus

Cost:

(Initial processes not related to these organelles include amino acid and protein respiration and glycolysis).

Through Mutation

• Flagellum - Info: Allows for fast swimming and can evolve from cilia or vice versa.

Cost: 15 MP

• Cillia - Info: Allows for fast swimming and can evolve from flagellum or vice versa.

Cost:

• Lamellipodes - Info: Allow for surface crawling. These are rigid exoskeletal extensions that act like legs.

Cost:

• Pseudopodic movement - Info: This will be available to a player whenever their cell membrane is loose enough around the central cytoskeleton to allow it, and will not involve a specific visible organelle, but will require a mutation giving it the ability to coordinate large membrane movements.

Cost:

• Conjugal Nuclei- Info: Extra nuclei within the cell used for sexual reproduction; if you reproduce sexually, your population can grow more rapidly and you can evolve more rapidly as well. There will probably be many ways to sexually reproduce, and asexual reproduction is an option as well.

Cost:

• Predatory Pilus - Info: Allows for external digestion.

Cost:

• Slime Gland - Info: Vacuole that fills with antiphagocytic slime and can be released upon contact with another cell. This is for engulfment prevention.

Cost:

• Cell Wall - Info: Can be added to outside of membrane and attached to cytoskeleton. This protects you from the elements and other cells to a certain extent, depending on its thickness. However, it does restrict your motile and feeding abilities somewhat.

Cost:

• Communal Membrane Proteins - Info: These are membrane proteins that can evolve that allow you to attach to other members of your species. This is cell adherence.

Cost:

Either

• Bioluminescence can be achieved through the assimilation of luminescent bacteria, or by the development of a luminescent organelle.

Cost:

Endocytosis

• Mitochondria begin as free-living aerobically respirating bacteria engulfing them has a 1 in 1000 chance of symbiosis, which will dramatically increase the efficiency of your cell. It will be virtually impossible to survive without gaining them fairly early in the game. Allows for aerobic respiration.

Cost: 20 MP

• Chloroplasts begin as free-living sessile cyanobacteria. Engulfing them has a 1 in 2000 chance of symbiosis. They will need mitochondria to function, and can only function, and are only found, in well-lit environments. They won't be around in the initial ocean vent biome. Allows for photosynthesis.

Cost: 20 MP

• Thermoplasts will be found as free living sessile bacteria in the initial biome. They have a 1 in 2000 chance of becoming symbiotic. They will only work in very hot areas, but can work without mitochondria, albeit not very efficiently. Allow for thermosynthesis.

Cost:

Environment

• Toxin vacuoles can be found in the environment, which can release OxyToxy.

Cost: 40 MP

Development

• Currently, the only organelles in the game are vacuoles, mitochondria, flagellum, chloroplasts and toxin vacuoles.