Molacular evolutionary background of the innovations of deuterostome morphologo

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We investigated how the morphological features of deuterostomes were acquired, especially from the aspect of molecular evolution. We found that neural crest evolution required acquisition of a novel domain of FoxD3. In addition, we found that co-option of Alx1 and vegf signaling also contributed the evolution of pluteus larval morphology. We also succeeded to get evidence showing that lamprey mandibular arch contain two distinct cell populations, that may correspond to the upper and lower jaw. Based on this finding, we propose a new evolutionary scheme of vertebrate jaw evolution. These results indicate that novel morphology of deuterostomes were acquired through a variety of molecular evoltuion, such as acquisitions of new domain, co-option of transcription factors and heterotopic shift of signaling system.