^ This paper (from 1976 BTW) is one of the seminal papers identifying the superfamilies. Dayhoff is a famous seqeunce analysis guy who I cite in my lectures.
Superfamilies have conserved 3D structres and frequently little or no seqeunce similarity that is conserved across the family.
The statements made in this abstract are supersitions that presume evolution.
It does not discuss the acual origin of each family but the evolution
within the families! Most papers on 'origin of families' are misleading entitled - they are talking about how the families spread out from a parent gene.
Gene families themselves are subsets of superfamiles or are at the superfamily level themselves. Families within superfamilies may or may not be convergent from an evolutionary POV.
[This message has been edited by Tranquility Base, 10-08-2002]