Early origin and evolution of the FtsZ/tubulin protein family

Abstract

The origin of the FtsZ/tubulin protein family was extremely relevant for life since these proteins are present in nearly all organisms, carrying out essential functions such as cell division or forming a major part of the cytoskeleton in eukaryotes. Therefore, investigating the early evolution of the FtsZ/tubulin protein family could reveal crucial aspects of the diversification of the three domains of life. In this study, we revisited the phylogenies of the FtsZ/tubulin protein family in an extensive prokaryotic diversity, focusing on the main evolutionary events that occurred during its evolution. We found evidence of its early origin in the last universal common ancestor since FtsZ was present in the last common ancestor of Bacteria and Archaea. In bacteria, ftsZ genes are genomically associated with the bacterial division gene cluster, while in archaea, ftsZ duplicated prior to archaeal diversification, and one of the copies is associated with protein biosynthesis genes. Archaea have expanded the FtsZ/tubulin protein family with sequences closely related to eukaryotic tubulins. In addition, we report novel CetZ-like groups in Halobacterota and Asgardarchaeota. Investigating the C-termini of prokaryotic paralogs basal to eukaryotic tubulins, we show that archaeal CetZ, as well as the plasmidic TubZ from Firmicutes, most likely originated from archaeal FtsZ. Finally, prokaryotic tubulins are restricted to Odinarchaeaota and Prosthecobacter species, and they seem to belong to different molecular systems. However, their phylogenies suggest that they are closely related to α/β-tubulins pointing to a potential ancestrality of these eukaryotic paralogs of tubulins.

Phenotypic variability in two female siblings with oocyte maturation arrest due to a TUBB8 variant

“…This variant, p.I4L, is located within the GTPase domain of the tubulin/FtsZ family. The tubulin/FtsZ protein family plays crucial roles in cellular processes such as cell division and establishment of the cytoskeleton in eukaryotes [ 28 ]. Misato and Dml1p are derived from an ancestral tubulin-like protein and possess regions that share similarity with members of a GTPase family, including eukaryotic tubulin and prokaryotic FtsZ [ 29 ].…”

Archaeal Tubulin-like Proteins Modify Cell Shape in Haloferax volcanii during Early Biofilm Development

“…The FtsZ/CetZ tubulin-like protein family is one example of this missing link. Archaeal FtsZ is not the result of lateral gene transfer but is believed to have been present in the last common archaeal ancestor [26]. Although CetZ proteins are thought to have evolved from archaeal FtsZ [26], key regions like the GTP-binding domain have greater similarity to eukaryotic tubulin [6], suggesting CetZ as an intermediate form between FtsZ and tubulin.…”

Possible Crystallization Process in the Origin of Bacteria, Archaea, Viruses, and Mobile Elements

“…The continuous supply of lipids to membrane vesicles in vitro inevitably leads to vesicle division due to the physical nature of the lipid bilayer [96]. Thus, under constructal law, FtsZ-mediated cytokinesis [109,110] arose (Figure 10A(a)(b)). Since the concentration of all molecules on one side after cytokinesis is counter to the second law of thermodynamics (Figure 10A(c)), after proto-cell division, equal segregation of chromosomes yields maximum entropy in the production of two daughter proto-cells (Figure 10A(d)(e)).…”