title: The Amphimedon queenslandica genome and the evolution of animal complexity.
abstract: Sponges are an ancient group of animals that diverged from other metazoans over 600 million years ago. Here we present the draft genome sequence of Amphimedon queenslandica, a demosponge from the Great Barrier Reef, and show that it is remarkably similar to other animal genomes in content, structure and organization. Comparative analysis enabled by the sequencing of the sponge genome reveals genomic events linked to the origin and early evolution of animals, including the appearance, expansion and diversification of pan-metazoan transcription factor, signalling pathway and structural genes. This diverse 'toolkit' of genes correlates with critical aspects of all metazoan body plans, and comprises cell cycle control and growth, development, somatic- and germ-cell specification, cell adhesion, innate immunity and allorecognition. Notably, many of the genes associated with the emergence of animals are also implicated in cancer, which arises from defects in basic processes associated with metazoan multicellularity.
authors.affiliation: Center for Integrative Genomics and Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA. mansi@wi.mit.edu
authors.forename: Mansi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Srivastava
authors.forename: Oleg
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Simakov
authors.forename: Jarrod
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.forename: Bryony
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fahey
authors.forename: Marie E A
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Gauthier
authors.forename: Therese
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mitros
authors.forename: Gemma S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Conaco
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dacre
authors.forename: Uffe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hellsten
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Larroux
authors.forename: Nicholas H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Putnam
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stanke
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adamska
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Darling
authors.forename: Sandie M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Degnan
authors.forename: Todd H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Oakley
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Plachetzki
authors.forename: Yufeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adamski
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calcino
authors.forename: Scott F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Cummins
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Goodstein
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: Sally P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Leys
authors.forename: Shengqiang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.forename: Ben J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Woodcroft
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vervoort
authors.forename: Kenneth S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Kosik
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Manning
authors.forename: Bernard M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Degnan
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Rokhsar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000235:genetics; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000235:genetics; D016764:Cell Polarity / Q000235:genetics; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005796:Genes / Q000235:genetics; D016678:Genome / Q000235:genetics*; D023281:Genomics; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics; D008954:Models, Biological; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D010770:Phosphotransferases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D011161:Porifera / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D010770:Phosphotransferases