Groundbreaking genomic research sheds light on evolutionary biology and host-microbe interactions. Complete mitochondrial genomes of Prototheca species were sequenced revealing comparative genomics insights relevant to their achlorophyllous nature. Additionally, the oldest microbial DNA was sequenced from mammoth remains dated over one million years, identifying pathogenic bacteria analogous to those infecting modern elephants. These findings broaden understanding of microbial evolution and co-adaptation across millennia.