I spent much of my Ph.D. thinking about proteins called 'Metallophosphoesterases'. This is a rather extensive protein family containing members from all domains of life. Their biochemical activity involves the hydrolysis of phosphoester bonds in proteins, lipids or nucleotides in a metal ion-dependent mechanism.
During my studies with a particular member of this family, Rv0805 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, I was compelled to think about what protein domains mean in the context of evolution and how functions can vary enormously among 'homologs'. This though resulted in two review articles that attempt to clarify these idea for the Metallophosphoesterase family. Here are the links for these articles:
I hope they serve as primers for some deeper thought about the evolution of protein families in general.
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