Maintenance of ancestral complexity and non-metazoan genes in two basal cnidarians
Date
2005
Authors
Technau, U.
Rudd, S.
Maxwell, P.
Gordon, P.
Saina, M.
Grasso, L.
Hayward, D.
Sensen, C.
Saint, R.
Holstein, T.
Editors
Advisors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Type:
Journal article
Citation
Trends in Genetics, 2005; 21(12):633-639
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Abstract
Cnidarians are among the simplest extant animals; however EST analyses reveal that they have a remarkably high level of genetic complexity. In this article, we show that the full diversity of metazoan signaling pathways is represented in this phylum, as are antagonists previously known only in chordates. Many of the cnidarian ESTs match genes previously known only in non-animal kingdoms. At least some of these represent ancient genes lost by all bilaterians examined so far, rather than genes gained by recent lateral gene transfer.