All articles tagged with #body plan
The study investigates the genomic basis of the unique body plan of chaetognaths, revealing extensive gene loss, tandem gene duplications, and a large Hox gene expansion, alongside the evolution of novel cell types and gene regulation strategies like trans-splicing, which together underpin their distinctive morphology and complex sensory systems.
Scientists have discovered that starfish and other echinoderms have an unusual body plan where their "arms" are actually extensions of their head. Through gene analysis, researchers found that the majority of genes switched on in the outermost layers of the starfish body corresponded to those activated in the heads of acorn worms and vertebrates. This suggests that the trunk genes were lost in the evolution of echinoderms. The study sheds light on how adult echinoderms acquired their unique five-fold body plan and provides insights into the evolution of these creatures from their bilateral ancestors.