The homeodomain complement of the ctenophore <it>Mnemiopsis leidyi </it>suggests that Ctenophora and Porifera diverged prior to the ParaHoxozoa
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The much-debated phylogenetic relationships of the five early branching metazoan lineages (Bilateria, Cnidaria, Ctenophora, Placozoa and Porifera) are of fundamental importance in piecing together events that occurred early in animal...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2010-10-01
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| Series: | EvoDevo |
| Online Access: | http://www.evodevojournal.com/content/1/1/9 |
| _version_ | 1819036163799777280 |
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| author | Ryan Joseph F Pang Kevin Mullikin James C Martindale Mark Q Baxevanis Andreas D |
| author_facet | Ryan Joseph F Pang Kevin Mullikin James C Martindale Mark Q Baxevanis Andreas D |
| author_sort | Ryan Joseph F |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The much-debated phylogenetic relationships of the five early branching metazoan lineages (Bilateria, Cnidaria, Ctenophora, Placozoa and Porifera) are of fundamental importance in piecing together events that occurred early in animal evolution. Comparisons of gene content between organismal lineages have been identified as a potentially useful methodology for phylogenetic reconstruction. However, these comparisons require complete genomes that, until now, did not exist for the ctenophore lineage. The homeobox superfamily of genes is particularly suited for these kinds of gene content comparisons, since it is large, diverse, and features a highly conserved domain.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have used a next-generation sequencing approach to generate a high-quality rough draft of the genome of the ctenophore <it>Mnemiopsis leidyi </it>and subsequently identified a set of 76 homeobox-containing genes from this draft. We phylogenetically categorized this set into established gene families and classes and then compared this set to the homeodomain repertoire of species from the other four early branching metazoan lineages. We have identified several important classes and subclasses of homeodomains that appear to be absent from <it>Mnemiopsis </it>and from the poriferan <it>Amphimedon queenslandica</it>. We have also determined that, based on lineage-specific paralog retention and average branch lengths, it is unlikely that these missing classes and subclasses are due to extensive gene loss or unusually high rates of evolution in <it>Mnemiopsis</it>.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This paper provides a first glimpse of the first sequenced ctenophore genome. We have characterized the full complement of <it>Mnemiopsis </it>homeodomains from this species and have compared them to species from other early branching lineages. Our results suggest that Porifera and Ctenophora were the first two extant lineages to diverge from the rest of animals. Based on this analysis, we also propose a new name - ParaHoxozoa - for the remaining group that includes Placozoa, Cnidaria and Bilateria.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T08:01:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fe5ec8a8897c45c6bb06eb0d7d965ecc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2041-9139 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T08:01:10Z |
| publishDate | 2010-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | EvoDevo |
| spelling | doaj.art-fe5ec8a8897c45c6bb06eb0d7d965ecc2022-12-21T19:10:54ZengBMCEvoDevo2041-91392010-10-0111910.1186/2041-9139-1-9The homeodomain complement of the ctenophore <it>Mnemiopsis leidyi </it>suggests that Ctenophora and Porifera diverged prior to the ParaHoxozoaRyan Joseph FPang KevinMullikin James CMartindale Mark QBaxevanis Andreas D<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The much-debated phylogenetic relationships of the five early branching metazoan lineages (Bilateria, Cnidaria, Ctenophora, Placozoa and Porifera) are of fundamental importance in piecing together events that occurred early in animal evolution. Comparisons of gene content between organismal lineages have been identified as a potentially useful methodology for phylogenetic reconstruction. However, these comparisons require complete genomes that, until now, did not exist for the ctenophore lineage. The homeobox superfamily of genes is particularly suited for these kinds of gene content comparisons, since it is large, diverse, and features a highly conserved domain.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have used a next-generation sequencing approach to generate a high-quality rough draft of the genome of the ctenophore <it>Mnemiopsis leidyi </it>and subsequently identified a set of 76 homeobox-containing genes from this draft. We phylogenetically categorized this set into established gene families and classes and then compared this set to the homeodomain repertoire of species from the other four early branching metazoan lineages. We have identified several important classes and subclasses of homeodomains that appear to be absent from <it>Mnemiopsis </it>and from the poriferan <it>Amphimedon queenslandica</it>. We have also determined that, based on lineage-specific paralog retention and average branch lengths, it is unlikely that these missing classes and subclasses are due to extensive gene loss or unusually high rates of evolution in <it>Mnemiopsis</it>.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This paper provides a first glimpse of the first sequenced ctenophore genome. We have characterized the full complement of <it>Mnemiopsis </it>homeodomains from this species and have compared them to species from other early branching lineages. Our results suggest that Porifera and Ctenophora were the first two extant lineages to diverge from the rest of animals. Based on this analysis, we also propose a new name - ParaHoxozoa - for the remaining group that includes Placozoa, Cnidaria and Bilateria.</p>http://www.evodevojournal.com/content/1/1/9 |
| spellingShingle | Ryan Joseph F Pang Kevin Mullikin James C Martindale Mark Q Baxevanis Andreas D The homeodomain complement of the ctenophore <it>Mnemiopsis leidyi </it>suggests that Ctenophora and Porifera diverged prior to the ParaHoxozoa EvoDevo |
| title | The homeodomain complement of the ctenophore <it>Mnemiopsis leidyi </it>suggests that Ctenophora and Porifera diverged prior to the ParaHoxozoa |
| title_full | The homeodomain complement of the ctenophore <it>Mnemiopsis leidyi </it>suggests that Ctenophora and Porifera diverged prior to the ParaHoxozoa |
| title_fullStr | The homeodomain complement of the ctenophore <it>Mnemiopsis leidyi </it>suggests that Ctenophora and Porifera diverged prior to the ParaHoxozoa |
| title_full_unstemmed | The homeodomain complement of the ctenophore <it>Mnemiopsis leidyi </it>suggests that Ctenophora and Porifera diverged prior to the ParaHoxozoa |
| title_short | The homeodomain complement of the ctenophore <it>Mnemiopsis leidyi </it>suggests that Ctenophora and Porifera diverged prior to the ParaHoxozoa |
| title_sort | homeodomain complement of the ctenophore it mnemiopsis leidyi it suggests that ctenophora and porifera diverged prior to the parahoxozoa |
| url | http://www.evodevojournal.com/content/1/1/9 |
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