The molecular elements that underlie developmental evolution.
Abundant evidence indicates that developmental evolution, the foundation of morphological evolution, is based on changes in gene function. Over the past decade a consensus has developed that transcriptional regulation, acting through enhancer sequences, is the primary level of evolutionarily significant change. Here we propose that other regulatory levels are probably as important as enhancers in developmental evolution. We also explain why these alternative regulatory levels might have been neglected, and briefly discuss ways to test our hypothesis.
Alonso
Claudio R
CR
Laboratory for Development and Evolution, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK. cra21@hermes.cam.ac.uk
Wilkins
Adam S
AS
D017398:Alternative Splicing / Q000235:genetics; D005075:Biological Evolution; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000235:genetics*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D050436:Regulatory Elements, Transcriptional / Q000235:genetics*
D012333:RNA, Messenger