Title: Conquering Land, Air and Water: The Evolution and Development of Arthropod Appendages
Abstract:Arthropods are one of the most successful and diverse animal groups on the planet. With an ability to adapt to a vast spectrum of ecological niches, arthropods have come to dominate the oceans, land a...Arthropods are one of the most successful and diverse animal groups on the planet. With an ability to adapt to a vast spectrum of ecological niches, arthropods have come to dominate the oceans, land and air, largely through changes in developmental strategies and through the modification and specialization of body parts. Clearly, to anyone who has looked at butterfly wings, lobster claws or spider jaws, the appendages of arthropods have evolved striking inno- vation and diversification of form. Classical work has shed much light on the structural simi- larities of these appendages and the significance of their differences. Molecular and genetic studies on the arthropod model system Drosophila melanogaster have given researchers a good understanding of the molecular basis for appendage development. Yet very little is known about the processes that underlie the diversity of limb form. In recent years there has been con- siderable progress towards understanding the developmental basis for this diversification. Comparisons of the expression patterns of known limb patterning genes in diverse arthropod groups reveal a striking conservation in some of the pathways, as well as differences that may help explain morphological diversity. Here we explore what is known about appendage devel- opment in arthropods, focusing on how homologs of the patterning genes involved in Drosophila leg and wing development are deployed during the development of appendages of other arthropods. Additionally, we highlight how recent advances in gene-knockdown tech- nology have allowed researchers to begin testing the function of these genes in systems outside Drosophila. Finally, we discuss what this information can tell us about the general principles guiding appendage development in arthropods and what insights it provides into appendage diversity and evolution.Read More
Publication Year: 2005
Publication Date: 2005-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 6
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