Onychophoran Hox genes and the evolution of arthropod Hox gene expression.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Onychophora is a relatively small phylum within Ecdysozoa, and is considered to be the sister group to Arthropoda. Compared to the arthropods, that have radiated into countless divergent forms, the onychophoran body plan is overall comparably simple and does not display much in-phylum variation. An important component of arthropod morphological diversity consists of variation of tagmosis, i.e. the grouping of segments into functional units (tagmata), and this in turn is correlated with differences in expression patterns of the Hox genes. How these genes are expressed in the simpler onychophorans, the subject of this paper, would therefore be of interest in understanding their subsequent evolution in the arthropods, especially if an argument can be made for the onychoph

SUBMITTER: Janssen R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4015684 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature