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Main Authors: Andrikou, Carmen, Pang, Kevin, Børve, Aina, Lu, Tsai-Ming, Hejnol, Andreas
Format: Artículo científico
Language:en
Published: Nature ecology & evolution 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41136766/
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author Andrikou, Carmen
Pang, Kevin
Børve, Aina
Lu, Tsai-Ming
Hejnol, Andreas
author_facet Andrikou, Carmen
Pang, Kevin
Børve, Aina
Lu, Tsai-Ming
Hejnol, Andreas
Andrikou, Carmen
Pang, Kevin
Børve, Aina
Lu, Tsai-Ming
Hejnol, Andreas
collection PubMed - marine biology
contents Molecular evidence from xenacoelomorph gonopore formation supports homology with the bilaterian anus. Andrikou, Carmen Pang, Kevin Børve, Aina Lu, Tsai-Ming Hejnol, Andreas Animals Biological Evolution Male Anal Canal Invertebrates Phylogeny The bilaterian through gut with an anal opening is a major evolutionary innovation in animals. It facilitates effective food processing, which allows animals to grow to a larger body size. However, because non-bilaterian animals (such as cnidarians) lack a through gut, the evolution of the anus in bilaterians (such as insects and humans) remains unresolved. The formation of the bilaterian hindgut is driven by the spatial expression of several transcription factors (for example, Caudal and Brachyury) under the control of Wnt signalling. Here we show that this bilaterian 'hindgut' molecular signature is expressed around the male gonopore of several xenacoelomorphs, which possess a blind gut without an anal opening. Since xenacoelomorphs are the potential sister group to all remaining Bilateria, our results suggest that the bilaterian anus shares a deep evolutionary relationship with the xenacoelomorph male gonopore. We therefore propose that the bilaterian anus evolved from a male gonopore that secondarily connected to the digestive tract.
format Artículo científico
id pubmed_41136766
institution PubMed
language en
publishDate 2025
publisher Nature ecology & evolution
record_format pubmed
spellingShingle Molecular evidence from xenacoelomorph gonopore formation supports homology with the bilaterian anus.
Andrikou, Carmen
Pang, Kevin
Børve, Aina
Lu, Tsai-Ming
Hejnol, Andreas
Animals
Biological Evolution
Male
Anal Canal
Invertebrates
Phylogeny
Molecular evidence from xenacoelomorph gonopore formation supports homology with the bilaterian anus. Andrikou, Carmen Pang, Kevin Børve, Aina Lu, Tsai-Ming Hejnol, Andreas Animals Biological Evolution Male Anal Canal Invertebrates Phylogeny The bilaterian through gut with an anal opening is a major evolutionary innovation in animals. It facilitates effective food processing, which allows animals to grow to a larger body size. However, because non-bilaterian animals (such as cnidarians) lack a through gut, the evolution of the anus in bilaterians (such as insects and humans) remains unresolved. The formation of the bilaterian hindgut is driven by the spatial expression of several transcription factors (for example, Caudal and Brachyury) under the control of Wnt signalling. Here we show that this bilaterian 'hindgut' molecular signature is expressed around the male gonopore of several xenacoelomorphs, which possess a blind gut without an anal opening. Since xenacoelomorphs are the potential sister group to all remaining Bilateria, our results suggest that the bilaterian anus shares a deep evolutionary relationship with the xenacoelomorph male gonopore. We therefore propose that the bilaterian anus evolved from a male gonopore that secondarily connected to the digestive tract.
title Molecular evidence from xenacoelomorph gonopore formation supports homology with the bilaterian anus.
topic Animals
Biological Evolution
Male
Anal Canal
Invertebrates
Phylogeny
url https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41136766/