FtsZ is a prokaryotic homolog of eukaryotic tubulin protein. Although being a prokaryotic cell division protein, it is also found in the chloroplast of lower plants such as A. thaliana. Interestingly, A. thaliana also contains tubulin. Now if tubulin has been thought to have evolved from FtsZ (FtsZ being ancestral form of tubulin) why would a plant like A.thaliana contain both ancestral FtsZ as well as the evolved protein, tubulin? Is this an evolutionary chaos or a rat's nest or is there any true reasoning behind this?
I am not surprised. Gene duplication (ancient in this case) is common think. This givs free card to evolution to evolve one ( or both) copies into somethink new without the death penalty ( would happen if only one copy would bepresent)
Ultimately each copy will specialise in to different roles and having different independent regulation.
Either of "subfunctionalisation" or "neofunctionalisation" of proteins took place, because if not, one of the copies would belist due to lack of evolutionary pressure on it.
So advise to google for subfunctionalisation" or "neofunctionalisation now and search for them in your proteins later :-)
sorry for typoes like : it should be " would be lost"
(damn smartphones keyboards :-D )
Thanks for the suggestions... hmm ya smartphones are becoming over smart...;-)
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