Do novel genes drive morphological novelty? An investigation of the nematosomes in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The evolution of novel genes is thought to be a critical component of morphological innovation but few studies have explicitly examined the contribution of novel genes to the evolution of novel tissues. Nematosomes, the free-floating cellular masses that circulate through the body cavity of the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, are the defining apomorphy of the genus Nematostella and are a useful model for understanding the evolution of novel tissues. Although many hypotheses have been proposed, the function of nematosomes is unknown. To gain insight into their putative function and to test hypotheses about the role of lineage-specific genes in the evolution of novel structures, we have re-examined the cellular and molecular biology of nematosomes.

Results

Using

SUBMITTER: Babonis LS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4877951 | biostudies-literature | 2016 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature