Return to David's theory of evolution: an aged enzyme (Evolution)

by David Turell , Monday, November 07, 2022, 19:51 (541 days ago) @ David Turell

An ancient enzyme from the Archaea used today in humans:

https://phys.org/news/2022-11-enzymes-human-cells-evolved-primordial.html

"A team of researchers at Umeå University has discovered that an enzyme in human cells has probably evolved from an ancient single-celled organism. The enzyme's unique properties mean that it could be used as a building block in the design of new enzymes, for example in processing wood raw materials.

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"Now, a team of researchers from the Department of Chemistry at Umeå University has discovered clear traces of an archaea (odinarchaeota) in an enzyme found in the nucleus of human cells. The human enzyme is called AK6 and has a variety of functions, such as energy metabolism, genome stabilization and programmed cell death.

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"The primitive predecessor odinarchaeota has a unique and valuable feature in comparison with the human enzyme AK6. While AK6 can only recognize and use one specific molecule when catalyzing a chemical reaction, the enzyme from odinarchaeota can use a wide range of molecules.

"'In the study, we discovered the molecular mechanism for this broad spectrum," says Elisabet Sauer-Eriksson, professor at the Department of Chemistry.

"'The trick is that the enzyme from odinarchaeota uses the amino acid glutamine, which has unique chemical properties that are used to their full potential in the enzyme. The general and broad recognition of different molecules takes place with a short loop sequence in the enzyme and this loop could be used as a Lego piece in the design of new enzymes.'"

Comment: this article puts to rest dhw's complaint about evolutionary continuity being disrupted with the advent of Cambrian forms without form predecessors. Evolutionary continuity is in the biochemistry, which then can be used in a massive variety of forms, as shown by the massive bush of life