Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Rotiferan Hox genes give new insights into the evolution of metazoan bodyplans. / Andreas, Fröbius C.; Funch, Peter.
In: Nature Communications, Vol. 8, 9, 04.04.2017.Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Rotiferan Hox genes give new insights into the evolution of metazoan bodyplans
AU - Andreas, Fröbius C.
AU - Funch, Peter
PY - 2017/4/4
Y1 - 2017/4/4
N2 - The phylum Rotifera consists of minuscule, nonsegmented animals with a unique body plan and an unresolved phylogenetic position. The presence of pharyngeal articulated jaws supports an inclusion in Gnathifera nested in the Spiralia. Comparison of Hox genes, involvedin animal body plan patterning, can be used to infer phylogenetic relationships. Here, we report the expression of five Hox genes during embryogenesis of the rotifer Brachionus manjavacas and show how these genes define different functional components of the nervoussystem and not the usual bilaterian staggered expression along the anteroposterior axis.Sequence analysis revealed that the lox5 parapeptide, a key signature in lophotrochozoan and platyhelminthean Hox6/lox5 genes, is absent and replaced by different signatures in Rotifera and Chaetognatha, and that the MedPost gene, until now unique to Chaetognatha, is also present in rotifers. Collectively, our results support an inclusion of chaetognaths in gnathiferans and Gnathifera as sister group to the remaining spiralians.
AB - The phylum Rotifera consists of minuscule, nonsegmented animals with a unique body plan and an unresolved phylogenetic position. The presence of pharyngeal articulated jaws supports an inclusion in Gnathifera nested in the Spiralia. Comparison of Hox genes, involvedin animal body plan patterning, can be used to infer phylogenetic relationships. Here, we report the expression of five Hox genes during embryogenesis of the rotifer Brachionus manjavacas and show how these genes define different functional components of the nervoussystem and not the usual bilaterian staggered expression along the anteroposterior axis.Sequence analysis revealed that the lox5 parapeptide, a key signature in lophotrochozoan and platyhelminthean Hox6/lox5 genes, is absent and replaced by different signatures in Rotifera and Chaetognatha, and that the MedPost gene, until now unique to Chaetognatha, is also present in rotifers. Collectively, our results support an inclusion of chaetognaths in gnathiferans and Gnathifera as sister group to the remaining spiralians.
U2 - 10.1038/s41467-017-00020-w
DO - 10.1038/s41467-017-00020-w
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 28377584
VL - 8
JO - Nature Communications
JF - Nature Communications
SN - 2041-1723
M1 - 9
ER -