title: Evolution: ctenophore genomes and the origin of neurons.
abstract: Recent sequencing of ctenophore genomes opens a new era in the study of this unique and phylogenetically distant group. The presence of neurodevelopmental genes, pre- and postsynaptic modules, and transmitter molecules is consistent with a single origin of neurons.
authors.affiliation: Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69012 Heidelberg, Germany. Electronic address: marlow@embl.de.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Marlow
authors.affiliation: Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69012 Heidelberg, Germany. Electronic address: arendt@embl.de.
authors.forename: Detlev
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Arendt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000235:genetics*; D037302:Ctenophora / Q000166:cytology* / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D016678:Genome / Q000235:genetics*; D009420:Nervous System