Scientists find missing evolutionary link using tiny fung... ( WEST LAFAYETTE Ind.

Scientists find missing evolutionary link using tiny fungus crystal

Date:1/2/2008

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The crystal structure of a molecule from a primitive fungus has served as a time machine to show researchers more about the evolution of life from the simple to the complex.

By studying the three-dimensional version of the fungus protein bound to an RNA molecule, scientists from Purdue University and the University of Texas at Austin have been able to visualize how life progressed from an early self-replicating molecule that also performed chemical reactions to one in which proteins assumed some of the work.

"Now we can see how RNA progressed to share functions with proteins," said Alan Lambowitz, director of the University of Texas Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology. "This was a critical missing step."

Results of the study were published in Thursday's (Jan. 3) issue of the journal Nature.

"It's thought that RNA, or a molecule like it, may have been among the first molecules of life, both carrying genetic code that can be transmitted from generation to generation and folding into structures so these molecules could work inside cells," said Purdue structural biologist Barbara Golden. "At some point, RNA evolved and became capable of making proteins. At that point, proteins started taking over roles that RNA played previously - acting as catalysts and building structures in cells."

In order to show this and learn more about the evolution from RNA to more complex life forms, Lambowitz and Paul Paukstelis, lead author and a research scientist at the Texas institute, needed to be able to see how the fungus' protein worked. That's where Golden's team joined the effort and crystallized the molecule at Purdue's macromolecular crystallization facility.

"Obviously, we can't see the process of moving from RNA to RNA and proteins and then to DNA, without a time machine," Golden said. "But by using this fungus protein, we can see this process occurring in modern life."

Contact: Susan A. Steeves
ssteeves@purdue.edu
765-496-7481
Purdue University
Source:Eurekalert

3

GOOD

Page: 1 2
Related biology news :

1. UK scientists working to help cut ID theft
2. Scientists show that mitochondrial DNA variants are linked to risk factors for type 2 diabetes
3. Comet probes reveal evidence of origin of life, scientists claim
4. Scientists link fragile X tremor/ataxia syndrome to binding protein in RNA
5. Male elephants get photo IDs from scientists
6. Scientists retrace evolution with first atomic structure of an ancient protein
7. Muscle mass: Scientists identify novel mode of transcriptional regulation during myogenesis
8. Carnegie Mellon scientists develop nanogels that enable controlled delivery of carbohydrate drugs
9. Clemson scientists shed light on molecules in living cells
10. Scientists tackle mystery mountain illness
11. T. rex quicker than Becks, say scientists

Post Your Comments:

Related Image:

Scientists find missing evolutionary link using tiny fungus crystal

(Date:6/19/2013)... Mass. In the cover story for the journal ... colleagues at the University of Massachusetts Amherst describe a ... to study the function of individual proteins in individual ... advance should allow deeper insights into protein function, Chase ... of what that single protein does when we isolate ...

(Date:6/19/2013)... the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), Woods Hole, Massachusetts, ... by the American Society for Microbiology (ASM). ... and the scientists who worked there that have ... microbiology. A ceremony unveiling the plaque that ... June 22, 2013, at 4:30 pm in the ...

(Date:6/19/2013)... -- AT&T * and NEC Corporation of ... ultimate workhorse among ruggedized 4G LTE smartphones ... most ruggedized phones equipped with AT&T Enhanced ... and business-ready features. Its design is aimed at ... while also keeping up with daily life outside ...

Breaking Biology News(10 mins):UMass Amherst researchers develop powerful new technique to study protein function 2 UMass Amherst researchers develop powerful new technique to study protein function 3 Microbial diversity course designated as a 'Milestones in Microbiology' site 2 AT&T and NEC Introduce Ultra-Rugged Smartphone Designed for Hard Work, Real Life 2 AT&T and NEC Introduce Ultra-Rugged Smartphone Designed for Hard Work, Real Life 3 AT&T and NEC Introduce Ultra-Rugged Smartphone Designed for Hard Work, Real Life 4 AT&T and NEC Introduce Ultra-Rugged Smartphone Designed for Hard Work, Real Life 5

[0] UMass Amherst researchers develop powerful new technique to study protein function [0] Microbial diversity course designated as a 'Milestones in Microbiology' site [0] AT&T and NEC Introduce Ultra-Rugged Smartphone Designed for Hard Work, Real Life

... (Vancouver November 8, 2007) Eating too much ... the levels of active testosterone and estrogen in the body, ... thats published this month in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. ... and avoid sugar. Table sugar is made of glucose and ...

... Biologists and computer scientists have appealed for more information ... it may better be used to understand the impact ... A study, funded by the Biotechnology and ... at the University of Reading and computer scientists at ...

... researchers have built a better plant, one that produces ... researchers accomplished the feat using a computer model that ... model to simulate every step of the photosynthetic process. ... of Plant Physiology, and will be presented today at ...

Cached Biology News:Too much sugar turns off gene that controls the effects of sex steroids 2 How global is the Global Biodiversity Information Facility? 2 Researchers successfully simulate photosynthesis and design a better leaf 2 Researchers successfully simulate photosynthesis and design a better leaf 3

Too much sugar turns off gene that controls the effects of sex steroids How global is the Global Biodiversity Information Facility?Researchers successfully simulate photosynthesis and design a better leaf

(Date:6/19/2013)... , June 19, 2013 MO BIO ... and other challenging microbial nucleic acid purification, announces ... Kit, for extraction of pure protein from all ... coincides with the 20 th anniversary of ... capabilities. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130619/LA32633 ) ...

(Date:6/19/2013)... 2013 Biotechnology industry pioneer Amgen (NASDAQ: ... provider BlackLine Systems and enterprise application software leader ... a webinar next week entitled "No Account Left Behind! ... SAP to Help Keep Its Account Reconciliations in Good Shape ... The webinar, geared at finance, accounting, audit and ...

(Date:6/19/2013)... Washington (PRWEB) June 18, 2013 A ... complex materials, costs and other trends will highlight technical ... Monterey, California this fall. In its 33rd year, the ... includes an exhibition of key suppliers, approximately 100 technical ... SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics ...

(Date:6/18/2013)... KONG, June 18, 2013 China Cord Blood ... "Company"), China,s leading provider of cord blood collection, laboratory ... services, today announced its preliminary unaudited financial results for ... 2013 ended March 31, 2013. Fourth ... the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013 increased by 33.3% ...

[0] MO BIO Laboratories, Inc. launches the first kit for protein extraction from soil [0] Amgen Joins BlackLine Systems, SAP for Webinar on Automating Account Reconciliations [0] ‘Big Glass’ and Visions for the Future are on the Program for SPIE Photomask Technology [0] China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013

... Debiopharm Group,(Debiopharm), a global independent biopharmaceutical development ... oncology, today,announced the establishment of a Debiopharm ... Lausanne (EPFL), focusing on Signal Transduction,in Oncogenesis. ... the objective,of the chair is to leverage ...

... to generate antibodies against ... research targets provided by Sigma-Aldrich, MUNICH, Germany ... SIAL ) and MorphoSys AG (Frankfurt Stock,Exchange: MOR; ... to design, produce and distribute unique,recombinant research antibodies ...

... of,Brazil,s leading distributors of pharmaceutical products, Profarma,Distribuidora de Produtos Farmaceuticos ... results for the fourth quarter of,2007 (4Q07) and full year ... market share breaks record and reaches 12.8% which is 0.8 ... in the 3Q07 and 3.2 percentage ...

Cached Biology Technology:Debiopharm and EPFL Establish an Oncology Chair 2 Sigma-Aldrich and MorphoSys Enter Into a Collaboration and Licensing Agreement for Recombinant Research Antibodies 2 Sigma-Aldrich and MorphoSys Enter Into a Collaboration and Licensing Agreement for Recombinant Research Antibodies 3

Debiopharm and EPFL Establish an Oncology Chair Sigma-Aldrich and MorphoSys Enter Into a Collaboration and Licensing Agreement for Recombinant Research Antibodies Profarma's Gross Revenue Reached R$ 740,4 Million in the 4th Quarter of 2007, a 40,1% Growth Over the Same Period in the Last Year

Bovine Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells (BBMVEC) (>500,000 cells)...

The improved design and new mechanical solutions of Finnpipette Focus Multichannel Plus improves accuracy and precision.In these low volume multichannel pipettes, the super blow-out function ensures ...

... Physical Form: buffered aqueous solution. ... terminal galactose from complex carbohydrates and glycoproteins. ... galactose under conditions where the pH must ... live cells. Unit Definition: ...

... is specific for human cardiac troponin subunit T, ... signals responsible for contraction of cardiac muscle. It ... in human cells. It also cross-reacts with human ... Antigen: Highly purified human cardiac troponin ...

Biology Products:

BBMVEC (B840-05) from European Collection of Cell Cultures (ECACC)Finnpipette Focus Multichannel 8 channel 5-50l from Thermo Scientific Escherichia coli alpha-Galactosidase Positionally specific solution from Sigma-Aldrich Mouse Anti-Human Troponin T Monoclonal Antibody, Unconjugated, Clone 9B1 from Lab Vision