A nonhyperthermophilic common ancestor to extant life forms

被引：258

作者：

Galtier, N ^{[1
]}

Tourasse, N

Gouy, M

机构：

[1] Univ Lyon 1, Lab Biometrie Genet & Biol Populat, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France

[2] Univ Montpellier 2, Lab Genome & Populat, F-34095 Montpellier, France

[3] Univ Texas, Ctr Human Genet, Houston, TX 77030 USA

来源：

SCIENCE | 1999年 / 283卷 / 5399期

关键词：

D O I：

10.1126/science.283.5399.220

中图分类号：

O [数理科学和化学]; P [天文学、地球科学]; Q [生物科学]; N [自然科学总论];

学科分类号：

07 ; 0710 ; 09 ;

摘要：

The G + C nucleotide content of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequences is strongly correlated with the optimal growth temperature of prokaryotes. This property allows inference of the environmental temperature of the common ancestor to all life forms from knowledge of the C + C content of its rRNA sequences. A model of sequence evolution, assuming varying C + C content among lineages and unequal substitution rates among sites, was devised to estimate ancestral base compositions. This method was applied to rRNA sequences of various species representing the major lineages of life. The inferred C+C content of the common ancestor to extant life forms appears incompatible with survival at high temperature. This finding challenges a widely accepted hypothesis about the origin of life.

引用

页码：220 / 221

页数：2

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