biostudies-literatureFaltine-Gonzalez DDirectorate for Biological SciencesNational Institute of General Medical SciencesNIGMS NIH HHS8626https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10224969biostudies-literatureUnknown13(1)Understanding how brains evolved is critical to determine the origin(s) of centralized nervous systems. Brains are patterned along their anteroposterior axis by stripes of gene expression that appear to be conserved, suggesting brains are homologous. However, the striped expression is also part of the deeply conserved anteroposterior axial program. An emerging hypothesis is that similarities in brain patterning are convergent, arising through the repeated co-option of axial programs. To resolve whether shared brain neuronal programs likely reflect convergence or homology, we investigated the evolution of axial programs in neurogenesis. We show that the bilaterian anteroposterior program patterns the nerve net of the cnidarian Nematostella along the oral-aboral axis arguing that anteroposteScientific reportsThe brain regulatory program predates central nervous system evolution.PMC10224969R01GM1276151942777Faltine-Gonzalez DHavrilak JLayden MJfalseThe brain regulatory program predates central nervous system evolution.Understanding how brains evolved is critical to determine the origin(s) of centralized nervous systems. Brains are patterned along their anteroposterior axis by stripes of gene expression that appear to be conserved, suggesting brains are homologous. However, the striped expression is also part of the deeply conserved anteroposterior axial program. An emerging hypothesis is that similarities in brain patterning are convergent, arising through the repeated co-option of axial programs. To resolve whether shared brain neuronal programs likely reflect convergence or homology, we investigated the evolution of axial programs in neurogenesis. We show that the bilaterian anteroposterior program patterns the nerve net of the cnidarian Nematostella along the oral-aboral axis arguing that anteroposte2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 May2025-05-29T16:22:10.954Z2025-05-29T16:22:10.954ZS-EPMC102249693724495310.1038/s41598-023-35721-4