title: The early ANTP gene repertoire: insights from the placozoan genome.
abstract: The evolution of ANTP genes in the Metazoa has been the subject of conflicting hypotheses derived from full or partial gene sequences and genomic organization in higher animals. Whole genome sequences have recently filled in some crucial gaps for the basal metazoan phyla Cnidaria and Porifera. Here we analyze the complete genome of Trichoplax adhaerens, representing the basal metazoan phylum Placozoa, for its set of ANTP class genes. The Trichoplax genome encodes representatives of Hox/ParaHox-like, NKL, and extended Hox genes. This repertoire possibly mirrors the condition of a hypothetical cnidarian-bilaterian ancestor. The evolution of the cnidarian and bilaterian ANTP gene repertoires can be deduced by a limited number of cis-duplications of NKL and "extended Hox" genes and the presence of a single ancestral "ProtoHox" gene.
authors: Division of Ecology and Evolution, Stiftung Tieraerztliche Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
authors: Bernd
authors: B
authors: Schierwater
authors: Kai
authors: K
authors: Kamm
authors: Mansi
authors: M
authors: Srivastava
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Rokhsar
authors: Rafael D
authors: RD
authors: Rosengarten
authors: Stephen L
authors: SL
authors: Dellaporta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051943:Antennapedia Homeodomain Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D003063:Cnidaria / Q000235:genetics*; D016678:Genome; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D051943:Antennapedia Homeodomain Protein; D014157:Transcription Factors