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The researchers discovered the assembly instructions for nearly 1,000 protein complexes shared by most animals. The study authors identified nearly 1,000 molecular machines critical for the development and survival of species as diverse as sea anemones, worms, mice and humans. The study is published in Nature.
Researchers of the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Toronto suggests a common molecular tool kit shared by organisms across the tree of life and reveals their evolutionary relationships.
Lead author Edward Marcotte of The University of Texas said, "We were able to construct a sort of assembly diagram of how thousands of different proteins come together to carry out their proper roles inside the cells of most kinds of animals. By understanding how the protein complexes came together across very different organisms, we could find relevancies to humans and human health."
For the study, researchers collected data on the cellular proteins of nine species representing a broad cross-section of the animal kingdom. The species studied included worms, flies, mice, humans, sea urchins, sea anemones, frogs and even slime mold and common baker's yeast.
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