Horizontal Gene Transfer in Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetases Including Leucine-Specific Subtypes |
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Authors: | Juliane C Dohm Martin Vingron Eike Staub |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Computational Molecular Biology, AG Protein Families and Cellular Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Ihnestrasse 63-73, 14195 Berlin, Germany;(2) Present address: ALTANA Pharama AG, 78467 Konstanz, Germany |
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Abstract: | Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases catalyze a fundamental reaction for the flow of genetic information from RNA to protein. Their
presence in all organisms known today highlights their important role in the early evolution of life. We investigated the
evolutionary history of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases on the basis of sequence data from more than 200 Archaea, Bacteria, and
Eukaryota. Phylogenetic profiles are in agreement with previous observations that many genes for aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases
were transferred horizontally between species from all domains of life. We extended these findings by a detailed analysis
of the history of leucyl-tRNA synthetases. Thereby, we identified a previously undetected case of horizontal gene transfer
from Bacteria to Archaea based on phylogenetic profiles, trees, and networks. This means that, finally, the last subfamily
of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases has lost its exceptional position as the sole subfamily that is devoid of horizontal gene transfer.
Furthermore, the leucyl-tRNA synthetase phylogenetic tree suggests a dichotomy of the archaeal/eukaryotic-cytosolic and bacterial/eukaryotic-mitochondrial
proteins. We argue that the traditional division of life into Prokaryota (non-chimeric) and Eukaryota (chimeric) is favorable
compared to Woese’s trichotomy into Archaea/Bacteria/Eukaryota.
Electronic Supplementary Material Electronic Supplementary material is available for this article at
and accessible for authorised users.
Reviewing Editor: Dr. Yves Van de Peer] |
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Keywords: | tRNA synthetases Horizontal gene transfer Lateral gene transfer Tree of life Domains of life Eocyte hypothesis |
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