al cells is to sense, capture and store the oxygen for energy production without suffering the hazardous side effects. The newly discovered heme proteins appear to be responsible for oxygen sensing. Both Halobacterium salinarum and Bacillus subtilis also contain other heme proteins that convert the oxygen into useable energy for the cell.

"This finding advances efforts to trace when and where the evolutionary division between plant, animal and bacteria occurred, as well as how the resulting proteins evolved specific functions in different species," Alam explains. "In addition, it could suggest when and how life began and provide ways to trace the presence of life elsewhere in the Universe."

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Contact: Cheryl Ernst
ernst@hawaii.edu
808-956-8856
University of Hawaii
1-Feb-2000

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