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

The Evidence for Evolution

The Evidence for Evolution

Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.

Convergent Evolution

Convergent Evolution

Evolution shapes the features of organisms over time, ensuring that they are suited for the environments in which they live. Sometimes, selection pressure leads to the rise of similar but unrelated adaptations in organisms with no recent common ancestors, a process known as convergent evolution.

Osmoregulation in Insects

Osmoregulation in Insects

Malpighian tubules are specialized structures found in the digestive systems of many arthropods, including most insects, that handle excretion and osmoregulation. The tubules are typically arranged in pairs and have a convoluted structure that increases their surface area.

Eukaryotic Evolution

Eukaryotic Evolution

The endosymbiont theory is the most widely accepted theory of eukaryotic evolution; however, its progression is still somewhat debated. According to the nucleus-first hypothesis, the ancestral prokaryote first evolved a membrane to enclose DNA and form the nucleus. Conversely, the mitochondria-first hypothesis suggests that the nucleus was formed after endosymbiosis of mitochondria.
Contrary to the endosymbiont theory, the eukaryote-first hypothesis proposes that the simpler prokaryotic and...

Synteny and Evolution

Synteny and Evolution

John H. Renwick first coined the term “synteny” in 1971, which refers to the genes present on the same chromosomes, even if they are not genetically linked. The species with common ancestry tend to show conserved syntenic regions. Therefore, the concept of synteny is nowadays used to describe the evolutionary relationship between species.
Around 80 million years ago, the human and mice lineages diverged from the common ancestor. During the course of evolution, the ancestral...

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Hospital and community care costs for people newly diagnosed of living with HIV in London, UK.

AIDS care·2022

Same author

Primary colonic squamous cell carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature.

Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England·2020

Same author

Infected Viabahn stent graft in the superficial femoral artery.

European journal of vascular and endovascular surgery : the official journal of the European Society for Vascular Surgery·2011

Same author

Implication of enterohepatic re-circulation on single dose bioequivalence evaluation of two brands of clonidine hydrochloride tablets in healthy human volunteers.

Indian journal of pharmaceutical sciences·2010

Same author

Lophotrochozoa get into the game: the nodal pathway and left/right asymmetry in bilateria.

Cold Spring Harbor symposia on quantitative biology·2010

Same author

Computerised analysis of auscultatory sounds associated with vascular patency of haemodialysis access.

Medical & biological engineering & computing·2005

Same journal

Erratum for the Research Article "Detecting supramolecular organic nanoparticles during heat wave".

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026

Same journal

Local signals, systemic decline.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026

Same journal

The mechanics of liver regeneration.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026

Same journal

Computing in a memory with physics.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026

Same journal

Retraction.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026

Same journal

Making time.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 9, 2026

Tobacco Hornworm as an Insect Model System for Cannabinoid Pre-clinical Studies

Tobacco Hornworm as an Insect Model System for Cannabinoid Pre-clinical Studies

Published on: December 29, 2021

Developmental evolution: insights from studies of insect segmentation

¹Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Baltimore, MD 21210-3399.

Science (New York, N.Y.)

|October 28, 1994

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Comparing developmental genetics across organisms reveals evolutionary insights. Studying fruit flies and other insects shows conserved and divergent early pattern formation, explaining biodiversity.

More Related Videos

Building an Enhanced Flight Mill for the Study of Tethered Insect Flight

Building an Enhanced Flight Mill for the Study of Tethered Insect Flight

Published on: March 10, 2021

A Simple Flight Mill for the Study of Tethered Flight in Insects

A Simple Flight Mill for the Study of Tethered Flight in Insects

Published on: December 10, 2015

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 9, 2026

Tobacco Hornworm as an Insect Model System for Cannabinoid Pre-clinical Studies

Tobacco Hornworm as an Insect Model System for Cannabinoid Pre-clinical Studies

Published on: December 29, 2021

Building an Enhanced Flight Mill for the Study of Tethered Insect Flight

Building an Enhanced Flight Mill for the Study of Tethered Insect Flight

Published on: March 10, 2021

A Simple Flight Mill for the Study of Tethered Flight in Insects

A Simple Flight Mill for the Study of Tethered Flight in Insects

Published on: December 10, 2015

Area of Science:

Developmental Biology
Evolutionary Genetics
Comparative Genomics

Background:

Understanding genetic control of development is key to explaining organismal diversity.
The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is a well-established model for studying early pattern formation.
Comparative studies across species are crucial for inferring evolutionary relationships and mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the conservation and alteration of developmental systems across different organisms.
To gain insights into the evolutionary events driving the diversity of life.
To compare early pattern formation in Drosophila melanogaster with other insects.

Main Methods:

Comparative analysis of genetic and molecular data.
Examination of developmental pathways in model organisms.
Cross-species comparisons of gene function and regulation.

Main Results:

Identified conserved aspects of early development between Drosophila melanogaster and other insects.
Revealed differences in early patterning events that correlate with variations in insect morphology.
Provided molecular and genetic evidence for evolutionary divergence in developmental processes.

Conclusions:

Comparative developmental genetics offers a powerful approach to understanding evolution.
Drosophila melanogaster serves as a valuable model, but cross-species comparisons are essential for a complete picture.
Evolutionary changes in early pattern formation contribute significantly to the diversity observed in insects.