The Social Microbe Flashcards
What is LUCA?
An inferred cellular organism
Where does the inference for LUCA arise from?
The shared fundamental biochemical and genetic characteristics of all known life
LUCA hypotheses
- anaerobic
- CO2-fixing
- H2-dependent
- N2-fixing
- thermophilic
- dependent on transition metals
What setting are the LUCA hypotheses consistent with?
Hydrothermal
What are the competing hypothesis for the origin of life location:
- surface origin hypothesis
- subsurface origin hypothesis
Madigan model for the origin of cellular life
- RNA World
- DNA becomes genetic repository; RNA adopts a more transitory role in genetic inheritance
- three part system (DNA, RNA, protein) evolve and become universal amoung cells
What is the RNA World theory?
That the first self-replicating systems must have been RNA-based
What would make RNA a good first self-replicator?
- can bind small molecules (ATP, other nucleotides)
- catalytic activity (autocatalysis?)
Describe the world in which life arose
- hot
- anoxic
- inorganic
How did the origin of life change the earth?
- organic chemical synthesis
- CO2 fixation
- oxygenic photosynthesis
What did oxygenic photosynthesis facilitate?
- O2-based respiration
- much more energy available
- evolution of super-energy expensive lifestyles (large, multicellular)
Describe the evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis
~2.7GYA cyanobacteria evolved a photosystem using H2O rather than H2S
How can we measure O2?
- it reacts spontaneously with oceanic iron minerals
- abundant iron oxides visible in geological record (banded iron formations)
What did O2 accumulation in the atmosphere result in?
- formation of the ozone shield
- toxic oxygen radicals
Describe the endosymbiosis eukaryogenesis theory
mitochondrion of present-day eukaryotes arose from the stable incorporation of an aerobic bacteria into early eukaryotic cells
What did endosymbiosis allow?
increased early cell’s respiratory capacity, allowing early mitochondria-containing cells with o becomes the ancestors of all extant Euakarya
Describe chloroplast endosymbiosis
- stable incorporation of a Cyanobacterium-like cell into the cytoplasm of a eukaryotic lineage
- plant evolution
What is common between prokaryotes, mitochondria and chloroplasts relative to size and shape
- smaller
- similar in size and shape
- generally lack membrane bound organelles
What is common between prokaryotes, mitochondria and chloroplasts relative to ribosomes
- smallest
- 60S-75S
What is common between prokaryotes, mitochondria and chloroplasts relative to the initiation of protein synthesis
- initiation amino is N-formyl-methionine (not methionine)
What is common between prokaryotes, mitochondria and chloroplasts relative to chromosome
Mostly circular, not linear
What is common between prokaryotes, mitochondria and chloroplasts relative to rifampicin action
Inhibits RNA polymerase (does not in eukaryotes)
Rifampicin
Ah inhibitor of RNA polymerase
What is common between prokaryotes, mitochondria and chloroplasts relative to chloramphenicol
Inhibits protein synthesis (doesn’t in eukaryotes)
Chloramphenicol
Protein synthesis inhibitor
What about mitochondria and chloroplast are consistent with the endosymbiotic hypothesis
Their physiology, metabolism and genome structure
Compare and contrast mitochondria and chloroplasts relative to their function
Mitochondrion: oxidative phosphorylation, beta oxidation and photorespiration
Chloroplast: photosynthesis and photorespiration
Compare and contrast mitochondria and chloroplasts relative to their metabolism
Mitochondria: break down glucose to CO2 and H2O, consumes oxygen, generates ATP
Chloroplasts: synthesise glucose from CO2 and H2O, libérâtes oxygen
Compare and contrast mitochondria and chloroplasts relative to their shape
Mitochondria: oblong or bean shaped
Chloroplast: ellipsoid disc
Compare and contrast mitochondria and chloroplasts relative to their structure
Mitochondria: double membrane; inner membrane folded into cristae
Chloroplast: double membrane; inner membrane contains thylakoid stacks, grams
Compare and contrast mitochondria and chloroplasts relative to their size
Mitochondria: 0.75-3 micromètres
Chloroplasts: 0.5-10 micromètres x 2.5 micromètres