With the help of 30 international labs, research biologist Linda Holland has solved the sequence of the amphioxus genome (aka lancelet). Although it’s not a well-known marine animal, the worm-like creature has stolen the scientific spotlight since it is the closest invertebrate relative to vertebrates, despite the genetic split from vertebrates over 520 million years ago. As a result, the creature’s genetic code is bringing up some interesting discussions on the origins of life.
The lancelet remains very similar to its ancestor in Cambrian times as it has evolved very slowly allowing scientists to use it as a starting point to compare it to the vertebrate evolution. Specifically, they are able to study how invertebrates have recycled genes.
A human gene has roughly 25% more genomes than the lancelet because during evolution humans have duplicated genes for different functions. The neural crest cells, for example, help the development of cell pigmentation, collagen, skull and spine cartilage in humans. But here’s the catch: the lancelet has a brain and a spine and makes them the same way as vertebrates do but the lancelet has no neural crest cells. In other words, invertebrates have managed to use “old genes” to create new functions equivalent in sophistication to our own.
Therefore human and amphioxus genomes are more similar in nature than we know, they started with different genetic ingredients.
HOW COOL IS THAT?
1 response so far ↓
1 Angel // Jun 20, 2008 at 4:58 am
It’s very cool and so strange. It is very hard to believe!
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