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Complex evolution of photosynthesis.

Jin Xiong¹, Carl E Bauer

¹Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA. xiong@mail.bio.tamu.edu

Annual Review of Plant Biology

|September 12, 2002

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The origin of photosynthesis is complex, with components evolving independently. Phylogenetic analysis suggests anoxygenic organisms predate cyanobacteria, with purple bacteria holding the most ancestral pigment pathway.

Area of Science:

Evolutionary Biology
Biochemistry
Microbiology

Background:

The origin and evolution of photosynthesis remain a significant challenge in biology.
Photosynthesis involves multiple components with independent evolutionary histories.
Established evolutionary scenarios exist for only a limited number of photosynthetic components.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the evolutionary pathways of key photosynthetic components.
To propose a unified theory for the evolution of reaction center holoproteins.
To provide a comprehensive overview of photosynthesis evolution based on current evidence.

Main Methods:

Phylogenetic analysis of magnesium-tetrapyrrole biosynthesis genes.
Analysis of evolutionary paths for type I and type II reaction center apoproteins.

Related Experiment Videos

Integration of data on photopigments and reaction centers.

Main Results:

Phylogenetic analysis indicates anoxygenic photosynthetic organisms are ancestral to oxygen-evolving cyanobacteria.
The purple bacterial lineage may possess the most ancestral pigment biosynthesis pathway.
Emerging evidence suggests a cytochrome b origin for type II reaction center apoproteins.

Conclusions:

A unified theory for the evolution of reaction center holoproteins is presented.
Further research requires broader sampling of photosynthesis genes from diverse bacteria.
Understanding photosynthesis evolution necessitates integrating knowledge of both pigment and reaction center evolution.