The glycolytic pathway of Trimastix pyriformis is an evolutionary mosaic.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Glycolysis and subsequent fermentation is the main energy source for many anaerobic organisms. The glycolytic pathway consists of ten enzymatic steps which appear to be universal amongst eukaryotes. However, it has been shown that the origins of these enzymes in specific eukaryote lineages can differ, and sometimes involve lateral gene transfer events. We have conducted an expressed sequence tag (EST) survey of the anaerobic flagellate Trimastix pyriformis to investigate the nature of the evolutionary origins of the glycolytic enzymes in this relatively unstudied organism.

Results

We have found genes in the Trimastix EST data that encode enzymes potentially catalyzing nine of the ten steps of the glycolytic conversion of glucose to pyruvate. Furthermore, we have f

SUBMITTER: Stechmann A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1665464 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature