MOLECULAR EVOLUTION OF DNA REPLICATION MACHINERY APPROACHED FROM THE VIEWPOINTS OF ARCHAEA
– EVOLUTIONAL DISCUSSION FROM THE DISTRIBUTION OF DNA POLYMERASE –
2013 Volume 41 Issue 2 Pages 8-11
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2013 Volume 41 Issue 2 Pages 8-11
DNA replication is a fundamental phenomenon to maintain and transfer of the genetic information in the living organisms. Elucidation of the molecular mechanism of DNA replication has been one of the main subjects since molecular biology started. Most of the research results in the field were obtained from Escherichia coli and its phages in an early stage. Then, research was expanded to the eukaryotic cells, including yeast and mammalian cells. It is now well recognized that living organisms are divided into three domains. Archaea, the third domain, different from Bacteria and Eukarya, was joined to the field of DNA replication after two other domains and the research has been active since late 1990’s to present. Comparative studies in the three domains of life provide much useful information to understand the evolution of DNA replication machinery. In this mini-review article, we will discuss mainly the molecular evolution of DNA polymerase in the living organisms.
