Enzymes, as biological catalysts, play a pivotal role in driving the myriad of chemical reactions essential for life. Understanding their evolutionary history offers critical insights into the molecular mechanisms that have shaped their catalytic functions and diversified their roles across organisms. This review delves into the evolutionary journey of enzymes, focusing on how the interplay of genetic mutations, gene duplications, horizontal gene transfers, and natural selection has sculpted their structures and functions over time. In this comprehensive examination, we explore the ancient origins of enzymes and trace their evolutionary paths through geological epochs, uncovering early enzyme prototypes that emerged in primordial environments. The integration of molecular phylogenetic, comparative genomics and structural biology has provided invaluable tools to decipher the evolutionary relationships among enzyme families, revealing common ancestral origins and divergent pathways. We highlight key evolutionary events that contributed to the functional diversification and innovation of enzymes, enabling organisms to adapt to different environmental challenges. Mechanisms such as gene duplication followed by functional divergence and neofunctionalization have driven the expansion of enzyme families, leading to the emergence of novel catalytic activities that confer selective advantages to host organisms. Moreover, the exploration of horizontal gene transfer events across diverse taxa has elucidated the cross-species dissemination of enzymatic functions, giving rise to enzyme repertoires with unexpected catalytic promiscuity. This phenomenon has not only facilitated the evolution of new metabolic pathways but also created intricate networks of enzymatic interactions, fostering cellular complexity and adaptability. Repeatedly driven enzymes to acquire similar functions independently, providing evidence of the pervasive influence of selective pressures and the functional constraints in shaping enzyme evolution. Finally, we discuss the implications of understanding the molecular history of enzymes for various scientific disciplines, including biotechnology, medicine, and ecology. By deciphering the evolutionary trajectories of enzymes, we gain a deeper appreciation of the remarkable plasticity of biological catalysts and their fundamental role in the emergence and sustainability of life on Earth. In conclusion, this review presents an extensive overview of evolutionary insights into enzymes, shedding light on the dynamic interplay between molecular evolution and biological function. By comprehending the deep-seated origins of enzymes, we can unlock the potential to harness and engineer these ancient catalysts for diverse applications, paving the way for future advancements in biotechnology and medicine.
KeywordsEnzymes; Evolutionary insights; Molecular history; Biological catalysts
Published Date: 2023-08-31; Received Date: 2023-08-03
