Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons

Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons

Genome comparison is one of the excellent ways to interpret the evolutionary relationships between organisms. The basic principle of genome comparison is that if two species share a common feature, it is likely encoded by the DNA sequence conserved between both species. The advent of genome sequencing technologies in the late 20th century enabled scientists to understand the concept of conservation of domains between species and helped them to deduce evolutionary relationships across diverse...

Microbial Phylogeny

Microbial Phylogeny

Understanding the evolutionary relationships among microorganisms is fundamental to microbial ecology and taxonomy. Phylogenetic trees are essential tools for inferring these relationships, relying primarily on comparative analyses of molecular sequences such as DNA, RNA, or proteins. In microbial studies, these trees typically depict the evolutionary paths of diverse bacterial and archaeal species by mapping genetic differences accumulated over time.Phylogenetic trees are composed of tips,...

Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?

Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?

The genomes of eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of sequence which do not code for proteins or RNAs. Although some of these regions do contain crucial regulatory sequences, the vast majority of this DNA serves no known function. Typically, these regions of the genome are the ones in which the fastest change, in evolutionary terms, is observed, because there is typically little to no selection pressure acting on these regions to preserve their sequences.
In contrast, regions which code...

Phylogenetic Trees

Phylogenetic Trees

Phylogenetic trees come in many forms. It matters in which sequence the organisms are arranged from the bottom to the top of the tree, but the branches can rotate at their nodes without altering the information. The lines connecting individual nodes can be straight, angled, or even curved.

Phylogenetic Trees

Phylogenetic Trees

Phylogeny

Phylogeny

Phylogeny is concerned with the evolutionary diversification of organisms or groups of organisms. A group of organisms with a name is called a taxon (singular). Taxa (plural) can span different levels of the evolutionary hierarchy. For instance, the group containing all birds is a taxon (comprising the class Aves), and the group of all species of daisies (the genus Bellis) is a taxon. Phylogenies can likewise include just one genus (i.e., depict species relationships) or span an entire kingdom.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Emerging roles for diguanylate cyclase during the evolution of soma in dictyostelia.

BMC ecology and evolution·2023

Same author

Multimerization of HIF enhances transcription of target genes containing the hypoxia ancillary sequence.

Biochimica et biophysica acta. Gene regulatory mechanisms·2023

Same author

The Origin of Metazoan Multicellularity: A Potential Microbial Black Swan Event.

Annual review of microbiology·2023

Same author

The protein kinases of Dictyostelia and their incorporation into a signalome.

Cellular signalling·2023

Same author

Novel RNAseq-Informed Cell-type Markers and Their Regulation Alter Paradigms of <i>Dictyostelium</i> Developmental Control.

Frontiers in cell and developmental biology·2022

Same author

Evolution of a novel cell type in Dictyostelia required gene duplication of a cudA-like transcription factor.

Current biology : CB·2021

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 1, 2026

A Practical Guide to Phylogenetics for Nonexperts

A Practical Guide to Phylogenetics for Nonexperts

Published on: February 5, 2014

Inferring cell type innovations by phylogenetic methods-concepts, methods, and limitations.

¹Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.

Journal of Experimental Zoology. Part B, Molecular and Developmental Evolution

|October 15, 2015

Summary

Understanding cell type evolution requires reconstructing cell type trees. These trees reveal gene regulatory networks and developmental histories, offering insights into the origin of new cell types through phylogenetic methods.

More Related Videos

Using Phylogenetic Analysis to Investigate Eukaryotic Gene Origin

Using Phylogenetic Analysis to Investigate Eukaryotic Gene Origin

Published on: August 14, 2018

Discrimination and Characterization of Heterocellular Populations Using Quantitative Imaging Techniques

Discrimination and Characterization of Heterocellular Populations Using Quantitative Imaging Techniques

Published on: June 30, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 1, 2026

A Practical Guide to Phylogenetics for Nonexperts

A Practical Guide to Phylogenetics for Nonexperts

Published on: February 5, 2014

Using Phylogenetic Analysis to Investigate Eukaryotic Gene Origin

Using Phylogenetic Analysis to Investigate Eukaryotic Gene Origin

Published on: August 14, 2018

Discrimination and Characterization of Heterocellular Populations Using Quantitative Imaging Techniques

Discrimination and Characterization of Heterocellular Populations Using Quantitative Imaging Techniques

Published on: June 30, 2017

Area of Science:

Developmental Biology
Evolutionary Biology
Genomics

Background:

Multicellular organisms feature diverse cell types, each shaped by development and evolution.
Defining cell types is challenging, but the core regulatory network (CRN) model provides a framework for understanding cell identity.
Reconstructing evolutionary relationships among cell types is crucial for studying their origins.

Purpose of the Study:

To elucidate the evolutionary history of cell types by reconstructing cell type trees.
To explore the relationship between cell type evolution and developmental processes.
To identify genes functionally important for specific cell types.

Main Methods:

Phylogenetic methods were used to reconstruct cell type trees.
High-throughput sequencing data was utilized for tree reconstruction.
The sister cell type model was applied to understand divergence from ancestral cell types.

Main Results:

Cell type trees represent an integrated history of cell type evolution and development.
Reconstruction of cell type trees aids in discovering functionally significant genes.
The study highlights the potential of phylogenetic methods in developmental evolution.

Conclusions:

Cell type tree reconstruction is a key step in understanding cell type evolution.
Phylogenetic approaches offer a promising avenue for studying the origin of new cell types.
Further research is needed, including cross-species comparisons and improved evolutionary models.