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The Influence of UV Radiation on Protistan Evolution
Author(s) -
ROTHSCHILD LYNN J.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of eukaryotic microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.067
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1550-7408
pISSN - 1066-5234
DOI - 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1999.tb06074.x
Subject(s) - biology , desiccation , ultraviolet radiation , ultraviolet , evolutionary biology , ultraviolet light , mutagen , astrobiology , ecology , genetics , dna , photochemistry , chemistry , physics , quantum mechanics , radiochemistry
Utraviolet radiation has provided an evolutionary challenge to life on Earth. Recent increases in surficial ultraviolet B fluxes have focused attention on the role of UV radiation in protistan ecology, cancer, and DNA damage. Exploiting this new wealth of data, I examine the possibility that ultraviolet radiation may have played a significant role in the evolution of the first eukaryotes, that is, protists. Protists probably arose well before the formation of a significant ozone shield, and thus were probably subjected to substantial ultraviolet A, ultraviolet B, and ultraviolet C fluxes early in their evolution. Evolution consists of the generation of heritable variations and the subsequent selection of these variants. Ultraviolet radiation has played a role both as a mutagen and as a selective agent. In its role as a mutagen, it may have been crucial in the origin of sex and as a driver for molecular evolution. As a selective agent, its influence has been broad. Discussed in this paper are the influence of ultraviolet radiation on biogeography, photosynthesis, and desiccation resistance.