Access

News and Views

Nature 447, 153-155 (10 May 2007) | doi:10.1038/447153a; Published online 9 May 2007

Developmental biology: A chordate with a difference

Linda Z. Holland1

Top

Molecular studies of tunicate development show that genetic programmes for early embryonic patterning can change radically during evolution, without completely disrupting the basic chordate body plan.

The tunicates are our closest invertebrate relatives, being members, along with us and all other vertebrates, of the phylum Chordata. There are three groups of tunicates, and investigations of a member of one of them, the appendicularian Oikopleura dioica, has revealed an instructive anomaly among chordates.

MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS

These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.

NEWS AND VIEWS

Evolution Careful with that amphioxus

Nature News and Views (23 Feb 2006)

Zoology You aren't what you eat

Nature News and Views (21 Aug 2003)

See all 7 matches for News And Views