The Amphimedon queenslandica genome and the evolution of animal complexity.
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.
Srivastava
Mansi
M
Center for Integrative Genomics and Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA. mansi@wi.mit.edu
Simakov
Oleg
O
Chapman
Jarrod
J
Fahey
Bryony
B
Gauthier
Marie E A
ME
Mitros
Therese
T
Richards
Gemma S
GS
Conaco
Cecilia
C
Dacre
Michael
M
Hellsten
Uffe
U
Larroux
Claire
C
Putnam
Nicholas H
NH
Stanke
Mario
M
Adamska
Maja
M
Darling
Aaron
A
Degnan
Sandie M
SM
Oakley
Todd H
TH
Plachetzki
David C
DC
Zhai
Yufeng
Y
Adamski
Marcin
M
Calcino
Andrew
A
Cummins
Scott F
SF
Goodstein
David M
DM
Harris
Christina
C
Jackson
Daniel J
DJ
Leys
Sally P
SP
Shu
Shengqiang
S
Woodcroft
Ben J
BJ
Vervoort
Michel
M
Kosik
Kenneth S
KS
Manning
Gerard
G
Degnan
Bernard M
BM
Rokhsar
Daniel S
DS
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
D010770:Phosphotransferases