Single-cell atavism reveals an ancient mechanism of cell type diversification in a sea anemone

Understanding how new cell types arise is essential for understanding the evolution of animal diversity. This study shows that a single gene, NvSox2, acts as a simple switch controlling the development of two alternative types of stinging cells in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis.

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Leslie S. Babonis, Camille Enjolras, Abigail J. Reft, Brent M. Foster, Fredrik Hugosson, Joseph F. Ryan, Marymegan Daly, Mark Q. Martindale
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2023-02-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-36615-9