Polyphasic evidence delineating the root of life and roots of biological domains.
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.
Wong
J Tze-Fei
JT
Department of Biochemistry and Applied Genomics Center, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China. bcjtw@ust.hk
Chen
Jianhuan
J
Mat
Wai-Kin
WK
Ng
Siu-Kin
SK
Xue
Hong
H
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
D012343:RNA, Transfer