Plasticity of animal genome architecture unmasked by rapid evolution of a pelagic tunicate

France Denoeud, Simon Henriet, Sutada Mungpakdee, Jean Marc Aury, Corinne Da Silva, Henner Brinkmann, Jana Mikhaleva, Lisbeth Charlotte Olsen, Claire Jubin, Cristian Cañestro, Jean Marie Bouquet, Gemma Danks, Julie Poulain, Coen Campsteijn, Marcin Adamski, Ismael Cross, Fekadu Yadetie, Matthieu Muffato, Alexandra Louis, Stephen ButcherGeorgia Tsagkogeorga, Anke Konrad, Sarabdeep Singh, Marit Flo Jensen, Evelyne Huynh Cong, Helen Eikeseth-Otteraa, Benjamin Noel, Véronique Anthouard, Betina M. Porcel, Rym Kachouri-Lafond, Atsuo Nishino, Matteo Ugolini, Pascal Chourrout, Hiroki Nishida, Rein Aasland, Snehalata Huzurbazar, Eric Westhof, Frédéric Delsuc, Hans Lehrach, Richard Reinhardt, Jean Weissenbach, Scott W. Roy, François Artiguenave, John H. Postlethwait, J. Robert Manak, Eric M. Thompson, Olivier Jaillon, Louis Du Pasquier, Pierre Boudinot, David A. Liberles, Jean Nicolas Volff, Hervé Philippe, Boris Lenhard, Hugues Roest Crollius, Patrick Wincker*, Daniel Chourrout

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

231 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Genomes of animals as different as sponges and humans show conservation of global architecture. Here we show that multiple genomic features including transposon diversity, developmental gene repertoire, physical gene order, and intron-exon organization are shattered in the tunicate Oikopleura, belonging to the sister group of vertebrates and retaining chordate morphology. Ancestral architecture of animal genomes can be deeply modified and may therefore be largely nonadaptive. This rapidly evolving animal lineage thus offers unique perspectives on the level of genome plasticity. It also illuminates issues as fundamental as the mechanisms of intron gain.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1381-1385
Number of pages5
JournalScience
Volume330
Issue number6009
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 3 Dec 2010
Externally publishedYes

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Plasticity of animal genome architecture unmasked by rapid evolution of a pelagic tunicate'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this