Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Evolutionary developmental biology

Ghost locus appears

Nature volume 514, pages 570–571 (2014)Cite this article

Subjects

The sequences of two sponge genomes provide evidence that the ParaHox developmental genes are older than previously thought. This has implications for animal taxonomy and for developmental and evolutionary biology. See Letter p.620

An array of transcription factors controls development in animals1. Transcription-factor-encoding genes belonging to one class — Antennapedia (ANTP) — are present throughout the animal kingdom and usually have a key role in development. The ANTP group includes the Hox, ParaHox and NK genes, all of which are paralogues, meaning that they have arisen in different animals from a shared ancestor as a result of gene-duplication events. However, the origins, evolution and, in particular, the timing of these duplication events have been unclear. On page 620 of this issue, Fortunato et al.2 report the analysis of two new genomes from sponges of the class Calcarea (the calcisponges) that substantially clarifies the evolutionary history of the ANTP genes and provides insight into tissue structures that are shared across the animal kingdom.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Evolution of Hox, ParaHox and NK genes in animals.

References

  1. Gehring, W. J. Trends Biochem. Sci. 17, 277–280 (1992).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Fortunato, S. A. V. et al. Nature 514, 620–623 (2014).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Mendivil Ramos, O., Barker, D. & Ferrier, D. E. Curr. Biol. 22, 1951–1956 (2012).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Moroz, L. L. et al. Nature 510, 109–114 (2014).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Peterson, K. J., Cotton, J. A., Gehling, J. G. & Pisani, D. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 363, 1435–1443 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Ryan, J. F. et al. EvoDevo 1, 9 (2010).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Scotland, R. W. BioEssays 32, 438–449 (2010).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Gazave, E. et al. PLoS ONE 5, e14290 (2010).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Dohrmann, M., Janussen, D., Reitner, J., Collins, A. G. & Worheide, G. Syst. Biol. 57, 388–405 (2008).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Hemmrich, G. & Bosch, T. C. BioEssays 30, 1010–1018 (2008).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. James O. McInerney is in the Department of Biology, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland.,

    James O. McInerney

  2. Mary J. O'Connell is in the School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland.,

    Mary J. O'Connell

Authors
  1. James O. McInerney
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mary J. O'Connell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to James O. McInerney or Mary J. O'Connell.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

McInerney, J., O'Connell, M. Ghost locus appears. Nature 514, 570–571 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/514570a

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/514570a

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing: Translational Research

Sign up for the Nature Briefing: Translational Research newsletter — top stories in biotechnology, drug discovery and pharma.

Get what matters in translational research, free to your inbox weekly. Sign up for Nature Briefing: Translational Research