Exploring Oceanic Alphaproteobacteria and Their Relation to Mitochondria
Author Information
Author(s): Brindefalk Björn, Ettema Thijs J. G., Viklund Johan, Thollesson Mikael, Andersson Siv G. E.
Primary Institution: Department of Molecular Evolution, Evolutionary Biology Center, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala, Sweden
Hypothesis
Is the mitochondrial system for aerobic respiration affiliated with the SAR11 clade?
Conclusion
The study identifies a rare group of oceanic Alphaproteobacteria as the closest free-living relatives to mitochondria, rejecting previous affiliations with the SAR11 clade.
Supporting Evidence
- The study identifies a new clade of Alphaproteobacteria, named OMAC, as the closest relatives to mitochondria.
- Phylogenetic analyses reject the previous hypothesis linking mitochondria to the SAR11 clade.
- Metagenomic data from the Global Ocean Sampling expedition provided a comprehensive view of oceanic bacterial diversity.
Takeaway
Scientists found a group of ocean bacteria that are more like mitochondria than previously thought, showing that we need to look at more types of bacteria to understand where mitochondria came from.
Methodology
Phylogenetic analysis using metagenome data from the Global Ocean Sampling expedition to identify relationships between oceanic bacteria and mitochondria.
Potential Biases
Potential biases in taxon sampling may affect the phylogenetic conclusions drawn from the data.
Limitations
The study's findings are based on a limited number of identified sequences, which may not represent the full diversity of oceanic bacteria.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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