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ABCG5/G8 Crystallization in a Lipidic Bicelle Environment for X-Ray Crystallography

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Enzyme-driven speciation: crystallizing Archaea via lipid capture.

Jian Payandeh¹, Emil F Pai

¹Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. pai@hera.med.utoronto.ca

Journal of Molecular Evolution

|January 27, 2007

Summary

The last universal ancestor (LUA) likely had a bacterial-like nature. Its evolution involved the (S)-3-O-geranylgeranylglyceryl phosphate synthase (GGGPS) enzyme, mirroring Archaea's emergence.

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Area of Science:

Biochemistry
Evolutionary Biology
Origin of Life Studies

Background:

The precise characteristics of the last universal ancestor (LUA), the progenitor of all extant life, remain largely unknown.
Understanding the LUA is crucial for deciphering the early evolution of life on Earth.
Archaea possess unique membrane lipids distinct from Bacteria and Eukarya, hinting at specialized evolutionary pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the bacterial-like nature of the LUA.
To reconstruct the evolutionary history of archaeal lipids and their associated enzymes.
To propose a model for the emergence of Archaea from the LUA.

Main Methods:

Comparative analysis of TIM-barrel proteins, specifically (S)-3-O-geranylgeranylglyceryl phosphate synthase (GGGPS).
Tracing the evolutionary origins of GGGPS through protein duplication and fusion events.
Evaluating the role of horizontal gene transfer in the evolution of archaeal lipid biosynthesis.

Main Results:

Evidence suggests the LUA possessed bacterial-like characteristics.
The archaeal lipid synthesis enzyme GGGPS likely evolved from a (betaalpha)4 half-barrel ancestor via duplication and fusion.
Horizontal gene transfer was excluded as a primary driver for GGGPS evolution.

Conclusions:

The evolutionary trajectory of GGGPS supports the emergence of Archaea from a bacterial-like LUA.
The "lipid capture" model provides a framework for understanding key evolutionary events in early life.
The appearance of GGGPS may represent a significant instance of enzyme-driven speciation, marking the divergence of Archaea.