Similar Amino Acid Sequences: Chance or Common Ancestry?

Doolittle, Russell F.

doi:10.1126/science.7280687

Cited by 825 publications

(367 citation statements)

References 84 publications

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“…Other genes were identified by comparing both nucleotide and predicted amino acid sequences with the corresponding sequences of previously identified genes of mouse mtDNA (3). Nucleotide sequences and amino acid sequences were analyzed by the SEQ Program (7) and the TYPIN and SEARCH Programs (8)(9), respectively.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transfer RNA genes inDrosophilamitochondrial DNA: related 5' flanking sequences and comparisons to mammalian mitochondrial tRNA genes

1983

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Genes for tRNAglY and tRNAser have been identified within sequences of mtDNA of Drosophila yakuba. The tRNAglY gene lies between the genes for cytochrome c oxidase subunit III and URF3, and all three of these genes are contained in the same strand of the mtDNA molecule. The tRNAqC gene is adjacent to the URF1 gene. These genes are contained in opposite strands f the mtDNA molecule and their 3' ends overlap. The structures of the tRNA9YT and tRNA ser gejes, and gf the f?ur tRNA genes of D. yakuba mtDNA reported earlier U(fNAi e, tRNA n, tRNA -me and tRNAva )Fare compared to each other, to non-organelle tRNAs, and to corresponding mammalian mitochondrial tRNA genes. Within 19 nucleotides upstream froqi the 5' terminal. ucleotide of each of the Drosophila mitochondrial tRNAlY, tRN tRNAI e, tRNA9n and tRNA -meL genes occurs the sequence 5'TTTATTAT, or a sequence differing from it by one nucleotide substitution. Upstream from this octanucleotide sequence, and separated from it by 3, 4 and 11 nucleotides, respectively, in the 5' flanking regions of the tRNAlle, tRNAser and tRNAJy genes occurs the sequence 5'GATGAG. INTRODUCTIONThe nucleotide sequence of the whole mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) molecule of each of three mammals, human, bovine and mouse, has been completed (1-3).

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transfer RNA genes inDrosophilamitochondrial DNA: related 5' flanking sequences and comparisons to mammalian mitochondrial tRNA genes

1983

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“…For example, Morris (2003) used convergent evolution as evidence for directed evolution resulting in similar endpoints, although this teleological view has been criticized (Lenski 2003). Convergent evolution may also be a product of chance, as there can be more than one optimum for a trait (Gould & Lewontin 1979;Doolittle 1981;Gould 1989;Zhang & Kumar 1997;Marks 2007). An ecological challenge could have been solved in a similar way by two or more species through chance alone.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiple convergent evolution of arboreal life in oribatid mites indicates the primacy of ecology

et al. 2009

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Frequent convergent evolution in phylogenetically unrelated taxa points to the importance of ecological factors during evolution, whereas convergent evolution in closely related taxa indicates the importance of favourable pre-existing characters (pre-adaptations). We investigated the transitions to arboreal life in oribatid mites (Oribatida, Acari), a group of mostly soil-living arthropods. We evaluated which general force-ecological factors, historical constraints or chance-was dominant in the evolution of arboreal life in oribatid mites. A phylogenetic study of 51 oribatid mite species and four outgroup taxa, using the ribosomal 18S rDNA region, indicates that arboreal life evolved at least 15 times independently. Arboreal oribatid mite species are not randomly distributed in the phylogenetic tree, but are concentrated among strongly sclerotized, sexual and evolutionary younger taxa. They convergently evolved a capitate sensillus, an anemoreceptor that either precludes overstimulation in the exposed bark habitat or functions as a gravity receptor. Sexual reproduction and strong sclerotization were important pre-adaptations for colonizing the bark of trees that facilitated the exploitation of living resources (e.g. lichens) and served as predator defence, respectively. Overall, our results indicate that ecological factors are most important for the observed pattern of convergent evolution of arboreal life in oribatid mites, supporting an adaptationist view of evolution.

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“…The observed degree of similarity is in a range which might be indicative of a common evolutionary origin if some additional evidence for this (i.e. common function) is available [38,39]. No Iess striking is the fact that in optimal alignment of 3 poly~eptides the principal tionship between these 3 proteins is schematically depicted in fig.2.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…The results presented here suggest, however, an alternative view of the evolution of proteolytic enzymes. We believe that these proteinases and 3C proteinases have a common (though very distant in the past) evolutionary origin and should be included in a single vast superfamily of proteins [19,38]. If so, it is quite intriguing that this superfamily accommodates proteinases of a very different kind.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Poliovirus‐encoded proteinase 3C: a possible evolutionary link between cellular serine and cysteine proteinase families

1986

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Here we demonstrate significant similarities between the amino acid sequences of trypsin (a serine protease) and the N-terminal piece of a specific fragment of the poliovirus polyprotein encompassing the sequence of the viral proteinase 3C, and also between cathepsin H (a cysteine protease) and the C-terminal piece of the same fragment. A coherent alignment of the sequences of the 3 proteases was obtained, in which the principal catalytically active residues occupy identical positions. A hypothesis is proposed that the viral enzyme may provide an evolutionary link between serine and cysteine protease families.

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Similar Amino Acid Sequences: Chance or Common Ancestry?

Cited by 825 publications

References 84 publications

Transfer RNA genes inDrosophilamitochondrial DNA: related 5' flanking sequences and comparisons to mammalian mitochondrial tRNA genes

Transfer RNA genes inDrosophilamitochondrial DNA: related 5' flanking sequences and comparisons to mammalian mitochondrial tRNA genes

Multiple convergent evolution of arboreal life in oribatid mites indicates the primacy of ecology

Poliovirus‐encoded proteinase 3C: a possible evolutionary link between cellular serine and cysteine proteinase families

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