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Chicken Recombinant Limbs Assay to Understand Morphogenesis, Patterning, and Early Steps in Cell Differentiation

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(Non)Parallel developmental mechanisms in vertebrate appendage reduction and loss.

Samantha Swank¹, Thomas J Sanger¹, Yoel E Stuart¹

¹Department of Biology Loyola University Chicago Chicago Illinois USA.

Ecology and Evolution

|November 26, 2021

Summary

Appendage loss in vertebrates frequently occurs through altered gene expression, not DNA sequence changes. This evolutionary convergence highlights how modifying key developmental gene activity can repeatedly shape vertebrate forms.

Keywords:

Hedgehog Hox genes Pitx1 convergence evolutionary development gene regulatory networks limb loss

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Area of Science:

Evolutionary developmental biology
Comparative genomics
Vertebrate evolution

Background:

Appendage reduction and loss are common evolutionary events across diverse vertebrate lineages.
Phenotypic convergence suggests underlying shared or distinct molecular mechanisms driving appendage loss.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the molecular mechanisms driving appendage reduction and loss in vertebrates.
To determine if shared genetic pathways or mechanisms underlie convergent appendage loss across distantly related taxa.

Main Methods:

Comprehensive review of developmental and evolutionary literature concerning appendage reduction and loss.
Analysis of over a dozen vertebrate genera spanning fish to mammals.

Main Results:

Appendage reduction and loss are predominantly driven by modified gene expression, rather than alterations in coding sequences.
The same developmental genes were repeatedly targeted for expression modification across various vertebrate groups.
Specific mechanisms of gene expression modification were rarely conserved, indicating diverse regulatory routes.

Conclusions:

Convergent evolution of appendage loss in vertebrates often involves changes in gene expression.
Adaptive loss-of-function phenotypes can arise frequently through modifications in key developmental gene regulatory networks.