Evolution of the unnecessary: a key step in protein synthesis in bacteria may have evolved from invading selfish DNA

by Anthony Poole (Stockholm University and University of Canterbury, New Zealand)

Thursday 11 Dec 2008, 16:00 → 17:00 Europe/Stockholm

122:026 (House 12) (Nordita)

Protein synthesis (aka Translation) is an ancient cellular function that can be traced back to a very early stage in the evolution of life. Despite its antiquity, there are surprising differences in this process across the tree of life. In this talk I will consider to what extent natural selection has shaped translation. I will focus on a key feature of translation in bacteria which may have descended from a selfish DNA element. This step appears to have been retained by natural selection during evolution despite there being no inherent mechanistic advantage associated with its inclusion in protein synthesis. If correct, this model would indicate that horizontal gene transfer between cells may have shaped early life in unexpected ways.