title: Polyphasic evidence delineating the root of life and roots of biological domains.
abstract: Twenty different lines of polyphasic evidence obtained from tRNA and protein sequences, anticodon usages, gene contents, metabolism and geochemistry have made possible the identification of a Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA) phylogenetically located proximal to the hyperthermophilic methanogenic archaeon Methanopyrus. Combined with analysis of high-similarity cross-domain tRNA pairs, the evidence also suggests a Thermotoga-proximal Last Bacterial Common Ancestor (LBACA) that originated from Crenarchaeota close to Aeropyrum, and a Plasmodium-proximal Last Eukaryotic Common Ancestor (LECA) derived from Ferroplasma through endosymbiosis.
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Applied Genomics Center, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China. bcjtw@ust.hk
authors: J Tze-Fei
authors: JT
authors: Wong
authors: Jianhuan
authors: J
authors: Chen
authors: Wai-Kin
authors: WK
authors: Mat
authors: Siu-Kin
authors: SK
authors: Ng
authors: Hong
authors: H
authors: Xue
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001105:Archaea / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005057:Eukaryotic Cells / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D000069497:Origin of Life; D010802:Phylogeny; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012343:RNA, Transfer / Q000235:genetics*; D020539:Sequence Analysis, Protein; D013559:Symbiosis
chemical_list: D012343:RNA, Transfer