The TIM Barrel Architecture Facilitated the Early Evolution of Protein-Mediated Metabolism.

ABSTRACT: The triosephosphate isomerase (TIM) barrel protein fold is a structurally repetitive architecture that is present in approximately 10% of all enzymes. It is generally assumed that this ubiquity in modern proteomes reflects an essential historical role in early protein-mediated metabolism. Here, we provide quantitative and comparative analyses to support several hypotheses about the early importance of the TIM barrel architecture. An information theoretical analysis of protein structures supports the hypothesis that the TIM barrel architecture could arise more easily by duplication and recombination compared to other mixed α/β structures. We show that TIM barrel enzymes corresponding to the most taxonomically broad superfamilies also have the broadest range of functions, often aided by meta

SUBMITTER: Goldman AD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4709378 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature