OCEANUS SEMINAR SERIES | Liam Longo | 10 Nov | 11h30

 

Title: Primordial Peptides at the Core of Ancient Metabolism

 

Name: Liam Longo

 

What forces shaped early protein evolution? How did the profound complexity of modern proteins emerge from simple primordial peptides? And, what role could these peptides have played in a nascent metabolism? To address these questions, I will focus primarily on the early evolution of two key metabolic enzyme domains -- P-Loop NTPases and Rossmanns -- and a ubiquitous nucleic acid binding element -- the helix-hairpin-helix (HhH) motif. Along the way, we will uncover long-lost evolutionary cousins and reimagine the role of coacervates (liquid-liquid phase separated droplets) as a cradle for the emergence of complex protein structure and function. Finally, I will introduce my recent attempts at understanding the co-evolution of enzymes and metabolism with an novel "enzyme-gated" network expansion algorithm.

 

Free online webinar. To access please follow this LINK.

 

If you are a CIIMAR member you can also access last seminars recordings through the LINK.