Evolution: origin of eukaryotes: Archaea preplanning (Evolution)

by David Turell , Saturday, April 11, 2020, 17:42 (1685 days ago) @ David Turell

A new discovery in Archaea sows an early form of rhodopsin:

https://phys.org/news/2020-04-driven-proton-distant-relative.html

"Researchers investigated the group of microorganisms classified as Asgard archaea, and found a protein in their membrane which acts as a miniature light-activated pump. The schizorhodopsin protein draws protons into the organisms' body.

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"...their team chose to study a feature of Asgard archaea that although not unique to them, is especially interesting in their case, and that is light-sensitive or photoreceptive proteins called rhodopsins. The organisms live at the bottom of oceans and lakes so it's surprising they need any kind of sensitivity to light.

"'We explored the molecular function of special rhodopsins in Asgard archaea called schizorhodopsins and found that they acted as light-activated microscopic pumps," explained Inoue. "Schizorhodopsin uses sunlight energy to take up a proton into the cell along a pathway inside the protein. Many prokaryotes such as bacteria and other archaea use rhodopsins to pump protons out, but we find this newly characterized form in Asgard archaea particularly interesting.'"

Comment: These ancient bugs are our direct ancestors. Why did they have precursors of the proteins our eyes use for vision? Easy answer: God knows full well how to evolve toward the future and pre-planned for real vision as it became necessary.