engrailed sequences from four centipede orders: strong sequence conservation, duplications and phylogeny

Area of Science:

• Developmental Biology
• Evolutionary Genetics
• Arthropod Biology

Background:

• Centipedes (Chilopoda) exhibit diverse body segmentation patterns.
• The engrailed gene plays a crucial role in embryonic development and segmentation across many animal groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the evolutionary history and conservation of engrailed gene homologues in centipedes.
• To analyze gene duplication events within the engrailed gene family in Chilopoda.

Main Methods:

• Cloning and sequencing of engrailed gene fragments from eight centipede species.
• Phylogenetic analysis of the obtained gene sequences.

Main Results:

• High sequence conservation of engrailed gene homologues was observed across the studied centipede species.
• Two independent instances of gene duplication were identified in Lithobius forficatus and Geophilus carpophagus.
• Gene phylogeny largely supported expected evolutionary relationships, with minor exceptions potentially attributed to long branch effects.

Conclusions:

• The engrailed gene is highly conserved in centipedes, reflecting its fundamental role in development.
• Gene duplication events in engrailed homologues provide insights into the evolution of segmentation diversity in Chilopoda.