Co-evolution of the translation apparatus and eukaryotes.

The symbiotic evolution between the two prokaryotic domains of life (bacteria and archaea) is believed to have given rise to the third domain of life, the eukaryotes. Common to all three domains of life, is an ancient mechanism of ribosome-mediated protein synthesis (translation). Can the evolutionary history of the protein translation apparatus shed light on the evolutionary history of life forms? This commentary addresses this broad question with the spotlight on a specific component of the translation apparatus.