Bacteriorhodopsin and the Phylogenetic Tree

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Bacteriophodopsin is used only by achaea bacteria such as halobacteria and not other bacteria. Examining the phylogenetic tree provided halobacteria are a selective branch that diverged later in bacterial evolution.

For more information see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaea
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacteriorhodopsin

Bacteriorhodopsin is light driven proton pump that is found only in achaea bacteria such as Halobacterium salinarium. It serves as a basic unit for converting solar energy into chemical energy by creating a proton gradient that can then be used to transport the directional movement of nutrients and key compounds agaisnt their concentration gradient. In plants ...