The hidden universal distribution of amino acid biosynthetic networks: a genomic perspective on their origins and evolution.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Twenty amino acids comprise the universal building blocks of proteins. However, their biosynthetic routes do not appear to be universal from an Escherichia coli-centric perspective. Nevertheless, it is necessary to understand their origin and evolution in a global context, that is, to include more 'model' species and alternative routes in order to do so. We use a comparative genomics approach to assess the origins and evolution of alternative amino acid biosynthetic network branches.

Results

By tracking the taxonomic distribution of amino acid biosynthetic enzymes, we predicted a core of widely distributed network branches biosynthesizing at least 16 out of the 20 standard amino acids, suggesting that this core occurred in ancient cells, before the separation of t

SUBMITTER: Hernandez-Montes G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2481427 | biostudies-literature | 2008

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature