Are we degenerate tetraploids? More genomes, new facts.
BACKGROUND
Within the bilaterians, the appearance and evolution of vertebrates is accompanied by enormous changes in anatomical, morphological and developmental features. This evolution of increased complexity has been associated with two genome duplications (2R hypothesis) at the origin of vertebrates. However, in spite of extensive debate the validity of the 2R hypothesis remains controversial. The paucity of sequence data in early years of genomic era was an intrinsic obstacle in tracking the genome evolutionary history of chordates.


OBJECTIVE
In this article I review the 2R hypothesis by taking into account the recent availability of genomic sequence data for an expanding range of animals. I argue here that genetic architecture of lower metazoans and representatives of major vertebrate and invertebrate lineages provides no support for the hypothesis relating the origin of vertebrates with widespread gene or genome duplications.


CONCLUSIONS
It appears that much of the genomic complexity of modern vertebrates is very ancient likely predating the origin of chordates or even the Bilaterian-Nonbilaterian divergence. The origin and evolution of vertebrates is partly accompanied by an increase in gene number. However, neither can we take this subtle increase in gene number as an only causative factor for evolution of phenotypic complexity in modern vertebrates nor we can take it as a reflection of polyplodization events early in their history.
Abbasi
Amir Ali
AA
National Center for Bioinformatics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. abbasiam@qau.edu.pk
D000818:Animals; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D018628:Gene Dosage; D020440:Gene Duplication; D016678:Genome / Q000235:genetics*; D015894:Genome, Human / Q000235:genetics; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D005810:Multigene Family; D010802:Phylogeny; D011123:Polyploidy; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000235:genetics*
D018398:Homeodomain Proteins