Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

How internal daily rhythm genes started and changed in simple bacteria

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Abstract

The analysis of approximately 70 complete prokaryotic genomes reveals the evolutionary history of circadian rhythm genes.

  • Cyanobacteria were previously thought to be the only prokaryotes with circadian rhythms.
  • The kai genes (kaiA, kaiB, kaiC) are found in Archaea and Proteobacteria, indicating a broader distribution than previously recognized.
  • Among these genes, kaiC is the most ancient, while kaiA is the most recent, having likely evolved solely in cyanobacteria.
  • The evolution of prokaryotic circadian pacemakers appears to have occurred alongside the geological history of Earth.
  • Natural selection, along with lateral gene transfers and duplications or losses, may have significantly influenced the evolution of these genes.

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