A Novel Expression Domain of extradenticle Underlies the Evolutionary Developmental Origin of the Chelicerate Patella.

ABSTRACT: Neofunctionalization of duplicated gene copies is thought to be an important process underlying the origin of evolutionary novelty and provides an elegant mechanism for the origin of new phenotypic traits. One putative case where a new gene copy has been linked to a novel morphological trait is the origin of the arachnid patella, a taxonomically restricted leg segment. In spiders, the origin of this segment has been linked to the origin of the paralog dachshund-2, suggesting that a new gene facilitated the expression of a new trait. However, various arachnid groups that possess patellae do not have a copy of dachshund-2, disfavoring the direct link between gene origin and trait origin. We investigated the developmental genetic basis for patellar patterning in the harvestman Phalangium opil

SUBMITTER: Klementz BC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11422720 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature