Two more Posterior Hox genes and Hox cluster dispersal in echinoderms
Abstract Background Hox genes are key elements in patterning animal development. They are renowned for their, often, clustered organisation in the genome, with supposed mechanistic links between the organisation of the genes and their expression. The widespread distribution and comparable functions...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2018-12-01
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| Series: | BMC Evolutionary Biology |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12862-018-1307-x |
| _version_ | 1818367566184185856 |
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| author | Réka Szabó David E. K. Ferrier |
| author_facet | Réka Szabó David E. K. Ferrier |
| author_sort | Réka Szabó |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Hox genes are key elements in patterning animal development. They are renowned for their, often, clustered organisation in the genome, with supposed mechanistic links between the organisation of the genes and their expression. The widespread distribution and comparable functions of Hox genes across the animals has led to them being a major study system for comparing the molecular bases for construction and divergence of animal morphologies. Echinoderms (including sea urchins, sea stars, sea cucumbers, feather stars and brittle stars) possess one of the most unusual body plans in the animal kingdom with pronounced pentameral symmetry in the adults. Consequently, much interest has focused on their development, evolution and the role of the Hox genes in these processes. In this context, the organisation of echinoderm Hox gene clusters is distinctive. Within the classificatory system of Duboule, echinoderms constitute one of the clearest examples of Disorganized (D) clusters (i.e. intact clusters but with a gene order or orientation rearranged relative to the ancestral state). Results Here we describe two Hox genes (Hox11/13d and e) that have been overlooked in most previous work and have not been considered in reconstructions of echinoderm Hox complements and cluster organisation. The two genes are related to Posterior Hox genes and are present in all classes of echinoderm. Importantly, they do not reside in the Hox cluster of any species for which genomic linkage data is available. Conclusion Incorporating the two neglected Posterior Hox genes into assessments of echinoderm Hox gene complements and organisation shows that these animals in fact have Split (S) Hox clusters rather than simply Disorganized (D) clusters within the Duboule classification scheme. This then has implications for how these genes are likely regulated, with them no longer covered by any potential long-range Hox cluster-wide, or multigenic sub-cluster, regulatory mechanisms. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T22:54:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0fc7404371a64c74b393bfea7a4c94f4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2148 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T22:54:05Z |
| publishDate | 2018-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Evolutionary Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-0fc7404371a64c74b393bfea7a4c94f42022-12-21T23:28:32ZengBMCBMC Evolutionary Biology1471-21482018-12-0118111310.1186/s12862-018-1307-xTwo more Posterior Hox genes and Hox cluster dispersal in echinodermsRéka Szabó0David E. K. Ferrier1The Scottish Oceans Institute, Gatty Marine Laboratory, School of Biology, University of St AndrewsThe Scottish Oceans Institute, Gatty Marine Laboratory, School of Biology, University of St AndrewsAbstract Background Hox genes are key elements in patterning animal development. They are renowned for their, often, clustered organisation in the genome, with supposed mechanistic links between the organisation of the genes and their expression. The widespread distribution and comparable functions of Hox genes across the animals has led to them being a major study system for comparing the molecular bases for construction and divergence of animal morphologies. Echinoderms (including sea urchins, sea stars, sea cucumbers, feather stars and brittle stars) possess one of the most unusual body plans in the animal kingdom with pronounced pentameral symmetry in the adults. Consequently, much interest has focused on their development, evolution and the role of the Hox genes in these processes. In this context, the organisation of echinoderm Hox gene clusters is distinctive. Within the classificatory system of Duboule, echinoderms constitute one of the clearest examples of Disorganized (D) clusters (i.e. intact clusters but with a gene order or orientation rearranged relative to the ancestral state). Results Here we describe two Hox genes (Hox11/13d and e) that have been overlooked in most previous work and have not been considered in reconstructions of echinoderm Hox complements and cluster organisation. The two genes are related to Posterior Hox genes and are present in all classes of echinoderm. Importantly, they do not reside in the Hox cluster of any species for which genomic linkage data is available. Conclusion Incorporating the two neglected Posterior Hox genes into assessments of echinoderm Hox gene complements and organisation shows that these animals in fact have Split (S) Hox clusters rather than simply Disorganized (D) clusters within the Duboule classification scheme. This then has implications for how these genes are likely regulated, with them no longer covered by any potential long-range Hox cluster-wide, or multigenic sub-cluster, regulatory mechanisms.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12862-018-1307-xHox11/13dHox11/13ePosterior Hox genesHox gene evolution |
| spellingShingle | Réka Szabó David E. K. Ferrier Two more Posterior Hox genes and Hox cluster dispersal in echinoderms BMC Evolutionary Biology Hox11/13d Hox11/13e Posterior Hox genes Hox gene evolution |
| title | Two more Posterior Hox genes and Hox cluster dispersal in echinoderms |
| title_full | Two more Posterior Hox genes and Hox cluster dispersal in echinoderms |
| title_fullStr | Two more Posterior Hox genes and Hox cluster dispersal in echinoderms |
| title_full_unstemmed | Two more Posterior Hox genes and Hox cluster dispersal in echinoderms |
| title_short | Two more Posterior Hox genes and Hox cluster dispersal in echinoderms |
| title_sort | two more posterior hox genes and hox cluster dispersal in echinoderms |
| topic | Hox11/13d Hox11/13e Posterior Hox genes Hox gene evolution |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12862-018-1307-x |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rekaszabo twomoreposteriorhoxgenesandhoxclusterdispersalinechinoderms AT davidekferrier twomoreposteriorhoxgenesandhoxclusterdispersalinechinoderms |