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Early Biochemical Evolution: Speculations on the Biochemistry of Primitive Life

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Evolution of Life

Summary

Biochemical properties of thermophilic archaebacteria were investigated and compared with those of other archaebacteria, eubacteria, and eukaryotes. Based on these comparative studies, we were able to speculate on the biochemistry of primitive life. The author proposes that chromosomes of primitive cells from which the three kingdoms would have diverged were circular and smaller than those of E. coli. The evolution of membrane-bound, proton- translocating ATPase and the catabolic pathways of glucose are also discussed in relation to the divergence of the three major lineages of phylogeny.

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© 1991 Springer-Verlag Tokyo

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Oshima, T. (1991). Early Biochemical Evolution: Speculations on the Biochemistry of Primitive Life. In: Osawa, S., Honjo, T. (eds) Evolution of Life. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-68302-5_22

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-68302-5_22

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Tokyo

  • Print ISBN: 978-4-431-68304-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-4-431-68302-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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