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CRYPTIC METABOLIC FOSSIL. “The major finding we report below is the discovery of a phosphate-independent core metabolism hidden within this biosphere-level network. This core protometabolism is capable of supporting the synthesis of a broad set of biomolecules, including several amino acids and carboxylic acids.” https://lnkd.in/dcwZe7b View in LinkedIn

ENZYME SURROGATES. “In exploring the prebiotic relevance of metabolic reactions that in extant life are catalyzed by highly evolved, efficient, and specific protein-based enzymes, we implicitly formulate the hypothesis that many of such reactions could have been initially catalyzed to a much weaker and less specific extent by a number of small molecules.” https://lnkd.in/dcwZe7b View in LinkedIn

METABOLIC UNIVERSE. “Given that our goal is to shed light on processes that predate the estimated last universal common ancestor (LUCA), and given the long-term reshuffling of genes among organisms through horizontal-gene transfer, we focused our analysis on a global, biosphere-level biochemical network, which encompasses all known metabolic reactions across all organisms.” https://lnkd.in/dcwZe7b View in LinkedIn

SIMILAR APPROACHES. “Similar approaches have been previously used to describe the biosphere-level metabolic changes that accompanied the transition to an oxic atmosphere, about 2.2 billion years ago.” https://lnkd.in/dcwZe7b View in LinkedIn

FRAGMENT FROM NATURE continues from lat weekend and concludes this weekend on the theme of the evolution of metabolism. As a trained biochemist, I frankly marvel at this tour de force: grappling with, and making sense of the diversity of metabolic pathways that exist is a almost beyond a monumental intellectual exercise, and then to reduce it to a model where you can ask what-if questions requires a level of sophistication that is frankly above my pay grade. When I see it I have deep, deep respect for it. Enjoy. View in LinkedIn

The carpel singlehandedly contributed to the huge success of flowering plants (angiosperms) by protecting the female reproductive parts of plants as opposed to gymnosperms which had open systems. View in LinkedIn

The carpel singlehandedly contributed to the huge success of flowering plants (angiosperms) by protecting the female reproductive parts of plants as opposed to gymnosperms which had open systems. View in LinkedIn

Dead nettle in its spring glory. View in LinkedIn

LEAP FORWARD. “The carpel, or female reproductive organ enclosing the ovules, is one of the major evolutionary innovations of the flowering plants. The carpel was undoubtedly a major factor in the evolutionary success of the angiosperms, which diversified from a common ancestor that is estimated to have lived in the Late Jurassic period, around 160 million years ago (MYA), to form approximately 300 000 species alive today.” https://lnkd.in/dA_5ryA View in LinkedIn

BLACK BOX. “Our goal is to know the function of every gene so we can develop a complete model of how a cell works. But that goal has not been reached yet. Of the seven genes added to this organism for normal cell division, scientists know what only two of them do. The roles that the other five play in cell division are not yet known.” Craig Venter team scores again with a minimal cell. https://lnkd.in/d-m72ta View in LinkedIn