Expression of distal limb patterning genes in Hypsibius exemplaris indicate regionalization and suggest distal identity of tardigrade legs.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Panarthropods, a major group of invertebrate animals comprised of arthropods, onychophorans, and tardigrades, are the only limb-bearing members of Ecdysozoa. The complexity and versatility of panarthropod paired limbs has prompted great interest in their development to better understand the formation of these structures and the genes involved in this process. However, studies of limb patterning and development are overwhelmingly focused on arthropods, followed by select work on onychophorans but almost entirely lacking for tardigrades. This model organism bias is inherently limited and precludes a comparative analysis of how panarthropod legs originated, have evolved, and the likely limb patterning genes present in the earliest panarthropod ancestors. In this study, we i

SUBMITTER: Mapalo MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11562647 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature