Three hypothesized placements of protomitochondrion on the Pseudomonadota tree of life
Although the order Rickettsiales has been proposed as the alphaproteobacterial sister-group of mitochondria,[1][2][3] no definitive evidence pinpoints the alphaproteobacterial group from which the proto-mitochondrion emerged, and some contradictory evidence, especially in the early, sparse genome samplings. Martijn et al found mitochondria are a possible sister-group to all other alphaproteobacteria.[4] The phylogenetic tree of the Rickettsidae has been inferred by Ferla et al. from the comparison of 16S + 23S ribosomal RNA sequences.[5] Geiger et alii (2023) propose placing the recently discovered (2016) genus Iodidimonas – found in a sister clade to Rickettsidae: the Caulobacteridae[5] – as the closest free-living relative of mitochondria, as it possesses more metabolic products matching that of mitochondria today, such as cardiolipins and sphingolipids, and important genetic markers such as the COXoperon and the bc1 complex (Complex IV and Complex III in mitochondria, respectively).[6]
Metabolism
Gabaldón & Huynen (2003) reconstructed the proteome (the entire set of proteins expressed by a genome) and corresponding metabolism of the proto-mitochondrion by comparing extant alpha-proteobacterial and eukaryotic genomes. They concluded that this organism was an aerobic alpha-proteobacterium respiring lipids, glycerol and other compounds provided by the host. At least 630gene families derived from this organism can still be found in the 9eukaryotic genomes analyzed in the study.[7]
↑ Fitzpatrick, David A. (2006). "Genome phylogenies indicate a meaningful α-proteobacterial phylogeny and support a grouping of the mitochondria with the Rickettsiales". Molecular Biology and Evolution. 23 (1): 74–85. doi:10.1093/molbev/msj009. PMID16151187.
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