Echinoderm conundrums: Hox genes, heterochrony, and an excess of mouths
Date
2014-12-22
Authors
Lacalli, Thurston
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
EvoDevo
Abstract
Two issues relating to the translocation of anterior Hox genes in echinoderms to the 5’ end of the Hox cluster are discussed: i) that developmental changes associated with fixation to the substratum have led to an acceleration of mesodermal development relative to that of ectoderm, resulting in a mismatch of anteroposterior registry between the two tissues and a larger role for mesoderm in patterning control, and ii) whether this helps explain the ability of some echinoderms to form separate mouths at different locations, one for the larva and one for the juvenile rudiment. Freeing the mesoderm from ectodermal influences may have encouraged morphogenetic innovation, paralleling the situation in tunicates, where an early genomic (or genomic and developmental) change has allowed the body to evolve in novel ways.
Description
BioMed Central
Keywords
Body plan, Echinoderms, Heterochrony, Hox genes, Hydrocoel
Citation
Lacalli: Echinoderm conundrums: Hox genes, heterochrony, and an excess of mouths. EvoDevo 2014 5:46