Did evolution leap to create the protein universe?

TitleDid evolution leap to create the protein universe?
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2002
AuthorsRost, B
JournalCurr Opin Struct Biol
Volume12
Issue3
Pagination409-16
Date Published2002 Jun
ISSN0959-440X
KeywordsAnimals, Eukaryotic Cells, Evolution, Molecular, Humans, Membrane Proteins, Protein Folding, Protein Structure, Tertiary, Proteins, Proteome
Abstract

The genomes of over 60 organisms from all three kingdoms of life are now entirely sequenced. In many respects, the inventory of proteins used in different kingdoms appears surprisingly similar. However, eukaryotes differ from other kingdoms in that they use many long proteins, and have more proteins with coiled-coil helices and with regions abundant in regular secondary structure. Particular structural domains are used in many pathways. Nevertheless, one domain tends to occur only once in one particular pathway. Many proteins do not have close homologues in different species (orphans) and there could even be folds that are specific to one species. This view implies that protein fold space is discrete. An alternative model suggests that structure space is continuous and that modern proteins evolved by aggregating fragments of ancient proteins. Either way, after having harvested proteomes by applying standard tools, the challenge now seems to be to develop better methods for comparative proteomics.

Alternate JournalCurr. Opin. Struct. Biol.
PubMed ID12127462
Grant List1-P50-GM62413-01 / GM / NIGMS NIH HHS / United States
R01-GM63029-01 / GM / NIGMS NIH HHS / United States