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Protein Disulfide Oxidoreductases and the Evolution of Thermophily: Was the Last Common Ancestor a Heat-Loving Microbe?

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Abstract

Protein disulfide oxidoreductases (PDOs) are redox enzymes that catalyze dithiol–disulfide exchange reactions. Their sequences and structure reveal the presence of two thioredoxin fold units, each of which is endowed with a catalytic site CXXC motif. PDOs are the outcome of an ancient gene duplication event. They have been described in a number of thermophilic and hyperthermophilic species, where they play a critical role in the structural stabilization of intracellular proteins. PDOs are homologous to both the N-terminal domain of the bacterial alkyl hydroperoxide reductase (AhpF) and to the eukaryotic protein disulfide isomerase (PDI). Phylogenetic analysis of PDOs suggests that they first evolved in the crenarchaeota, spreading from them into the Bacteria via the euryarchaeota. These results imply that the last common ancestor (LCA) of all extant living beings lacked a PDO and argue, albeit weakly, against a thermophilic LCA.

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Abbreviations

PDOs:

protein disulfide oxidoreductases

AhpF:

alkyl hydroperoxide reductase

PDI:

eukaryotic protein disulfide isomerase

LCA:

last common ancestor

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Acknowledgments

We are indebted to Monsieur Bastien Bousseau and to Drs. Celine Brochier, Peter Gogarten, and Manolo Gouy for several useful references. Support from CONACYT-Mexico (Project 50520-Q) to A.L. and (52226) to A.B. is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad de Ciencias, UNAM, Apdo. Postal 70-407, Cd. Universitaria, 04510, Mexico, D.F., Mexico

    Arturo Becerra, Luis Delaye & Antonio Lazcano

  2. Salk Institute, 10010 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California, 92037, USA

    Leslie E. Orgel

Authors
  1. Arturo Becerra
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  2. Luis Delaye
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  3. Antonio Lazcano
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  4. Leslie E. Orgel
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Correspondence to Antonio Lazcano.

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Reviewing Editor: Martin Kreitman

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Becerra, A., Delaye, L., Lazcano, A. et al. Protein Disulfide Oxidoreductases and the Evolution of Thermophily: Was the Last Common Ancestor a Heat-Loving Microbe?. J Mol Evol 65, 296–303 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00239-007-9005-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00239-007-9005-0

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