Lateral transfer of tetrahymanol-synthesizing genes has allowed multiple diverse eukaryote lineages to independently adapt to environments without oxygen.
Biol Direct
; 7: 5, 2012 Feb 01.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-22296756
ABSTRACT
Sterols are key components of eukaryotic cellular membranes that are synthesized by multi-enzyme pathways that require molecular oxygen. Because prokaryotes fundamentally lack sterols, it is unclear how the vast diversity of bacterivorous eukaryotes that inhabit hypoxic environments obtain, or synthesize, sterols. Here we show that tetrahymanol, a triterpenoid that does not require molecular oxygen for its biosynthesis, likely functions as a surrogate of sterol in eukaryotes inhabiting oxygen-poor environments. Genes encoding the tetrahymanol synthesizing enzyme squalene-tetrahymanol cyclase were found from several phylogenetically diverged eukaryotes that live in oxygen-poor environments and appear to have been laterally transferred among such eukaryotes.
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Triterpenos
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Adaptação Biológica
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Transferência Genética Horizontal
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Eucariotos
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2012
Tipo de documento:
Article