NMR backbone assignment and dynamics of Profilin from Heimdallarchaeota

The origin of the eukaryotic cell is an unsettled scientific question. The Asgard superphylum has emerged as a compelling target for studying eukaryogenesis due to the previously unseen diversity of eukaryotic signature proteins. However, our knowledge about these proteins is still relegated to metagenomic data and very little is known about their structural properties. Additionally, it is still unclear if these proteins are functionally homologous to their eukaryotic counterparts. Here, we expressed, purified and structurally characterized profilin from Heimdallarchaeota in the Asgard superphylum. The structural analysis shows that while this profilin possess similar secondary structural elements as eukaryotic profilin, it contains additional secondary structural elements that could be critical for its function and an indication of divergent evolution.