实验室进化表明,头核糖酶的多个起源
K Salehi-Ashtiani1, J W Szostak
1Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114, USA.
Nature
|November 2, 2001
概括
头核糖酶是一种自我分裂的RNA基因,在生理条件下,它是最简单和最常见的RNA自我分裂结构. 这表明进化有利于对生化问题的最简单的解决方案,解释了其广泛的发生.
科学领域:
- 分子生物学分子生物学
- 进化生物学 进化生物学
- 生物化学 生物化学
背景情况:
- 头核糖酶是一种自我分裂的RNA基因,在各种生物体中发现,包括植物,新,体和洞穴.
- 它的零星分布表明它既有古老的起源,也可能是不同物种的独立进化.
- 了解塑造 ribozyme 分布的进化压力至关重要.
研究的目的:
- 为了研究头核酶的进化起源和分布.
- 确定能够以生物学相关的速度自我分裂的最简单的RNA结构.
- 探索进化过程是否有利于生物化学功能的简单解决方案.
主要方法:
- 实验室内选择被用来选一个随机RNA序列的无偏图书馆.
- 选择的目的是识别具有与已知的子头核酶相比的活动的自我切割动机.
- 实验是在近乎生理条件下进行的,以模仿生物环境.
主要成果:
- 头核糖酶基因是最常见和最简单的RNA结构,能够自我分裂.
- 这种自我分裂的速度与在生物系统中观察到的速度相当.
- 这些发现在近乎生理条件的条件中是一致的.
结论:
- 头核酶的流行表明,进化途径往往被引导到最简单的生物化学解决方案.
- 这种选择最简单的功能结构的原则可能解释了它在自然界中广泛存在的原因.
- 实验室选择反映了自然进化过程,有利于简单.
相关概念视频
Bacterial RNA Polymerase
Unlike eukaryotes, bacteria use a single RNA Polymerase (RNAP) to transcribe all genes. The different subunits of bacterial RNAPhave distinct functions. The multisubunit structure of the bacterial RNAP helps the enzyme to maintain catalytic function, facilitate assembly, interact with DNA and RNA, and self-regulate its activity.
In most genes, the transcription site is a single base present upstream of the coding sequence. Though RNAP is a catalytically efficient enzyme, it does not recognize...
In most genes, the transcription site is a single base present upstream of the coding sequence. Though RNAP is a catalytically efficient enzyme, it does not recognize...
Ribozymes
The term ribozyme is used for RNA that can act as an enzyme. Ribozymes are mainly found in selected viruses, bacteria, plant organelles, and lower eukaryotes. Ribozymes were first discovered in 1982 when Tom Cech’s laboratory observed Group I introns acting as enzymes. This was shortly followed by the discovery of another ribozyme, Ribonulcease P, by Sid Altman’s laboratory. Both Cech and Altman received the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1989 for their work on ribozymes.
Ribozymes can be...
Ribozymes can be...
Exon Recombination
The evolution of new genes is critical for speciation. Exon recombination, also known as exon shuffling or domain shuffling, is an important means of new gene formation. It is observed across vertebrates, invertebrates, and in some plants such as potatoes and sunflowers. During exon recombination, exons from the same or different genes recombine and produce new exon-intron combinations, which might evolve into new genes.
Exon shuffling follows “splice frame rules.” Each exon has three reading...
Exon shuffling follows “splice frame rules.” Each exon has three reading...
Ribozymes
The term ribozyme is used for RNA that can act as an enzyme. Ribozymes are mainly found in selected viruses, bacteria, plant organelles, and lower eukaryotes. Ribozymes were first discovered in 1982 when Tom Cech’s laboratory observed Group I introns acting as enzymes. This was shortly followed by the discovery of another ribozyme, Ribonulcease P, by Sid Altman’s laboratory. Both Cech and Altman received the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1989 for their work on ribozymes.
Ribozymes can be...
Ribozymes can be...
Eukaryotic Evolution
The endosymbiont theory is the most widely accepted theory of eukaryotic evolution; however, its progression is still somewhat debated. According to the nucleus-first hypothesis, the ancestral prokaryote first evolved a membrane to enclose DNA and form the nucleus. Conversely, the mitochondria-first hypothesis suggests that the nucleus was formed after endosymbiosis of mitochondria.
Contrary to the endosymbiont theory, the eukaryote-first hypothesis proposes that the simpler prokaryotic and...
Contrary to the endosymbiont theory, the eukaryote-first hypothesis proposes that the simpler prokaryotic and...
Bacterial RNA Polymerase
Unlike eukaryotes, bacteria use a single RNA Polymerase (RNAP) to transcribe all genes. The different subunits of bacterial RNAPhave distinct functions. The multisubunit structure of the bacterial RNAP helps the enzyme to maintain catalytic function, facilitate assembly, interact with DNA and RNA, and self-regulate its activity.
In most genes, the transcription site is a single base present upstream of the coding sequence. Though RNAP is a catalytically efficient enzyme, it does not recognize...
In most genes, the transcription site is a single base present upstream of the coding sequence. Though RNAP is a catalytically efficient enzyme, it does not recognize...


