Molecular Evolution: Evidence for Monophyly of Metazoa

by Werner E.G. Mïller (Editor)

Overview

This volume concentrates on the origin of multicellular animals, Metazoa. Until now, no unequivocal phylogeny has been produced. Therefore, the questions remain: Did Metazoa evolve from the Protozoa only once, or several times? Is the origin of animals monophyletic or polyphyletic? Especially the relationships between the existing lower metazoan phyla, particularly the Porifera (sponges) are uncertain. Based on sequence data of genes typical for multicellularity it is demonstrated that all Metazoa, including Porifera, should be placed into the kingdom Animalia together with the Eumetazoa. Therefore it is most likely that all animals are of monophyletic origin.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783642487477
Publisher:	Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Publication date:	04/18/2012
Series:	Progress in Molecular and Subcellular Biology , #19
Edition description:	Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1998
Pages:	189
Product dimensions:	6.69(w) x 9.61(h) x 0.02(d)

Table of Contents

Transition from Protozoa to Metazoa: An Experimental Approach.- 1 Introduction.- 2 Proteins Present in All Biotic Regna.- 3 Monophyly of Metazoa.- 4 Origin of Metazoan Genes and Proteins.- 5 Evolution of Metazoan Genes.- 6 Directed Evolution?.- References.- Individuality in Early Eukaryotes and the Consequences for Matazoan Development.- 1 Introduction.- 2 The Evolution of Metabolism and Development.- 3 Conclusions.- References.- Evolution of Animal Lectins.- 1 Introduction.- 2 Brief Overview of Lectins.- 3 Evolution of the C-Type Lectin Family.- 4 Evolution of Galectins.- 5 Comparison of the Galectin Family and the C-Type Lectin Family.- 6 Evolution of Glycocodes.- References.- Molecular Phylogeny of Eumetazoa: Genes in Sponges (Porifera) Give Evidence for Monophyly of Animals.- 1 Introduction.- 2 Earlier Problems.- 3 Porifera (Sponges).- 4 Rationale for a Classification of Sponges as Metazoa.- 5 Genes in Sponges: Coding for Metazoan Proteins.- 6 Evolutionary Tempo.- 7 Conclusion.- References.- Homeobox Genes in the Freshwater Sponge Ephydatia fluviatilis.- 1 Introduction.- 2 Classification of Homeobox Genes.- 3 Homeobox Genes in Freshwater Sponges.- 4 Comparison of the Homeobox Genes of Sponges with Those of Other Animals.- 5 Principles Associated with the Conservation and Diversification of Homeobox Genes During Animal Evolution.- 6 Conclusion.- References.- Homeobox-Containing Genes in Freshwater Sponges: Characterization, Expression and Phylogeny.- 1 Introduction.- 2 Materials and Methods.- 3 Results and Discussion.- 4 Conclusions.- References.- Early Evolution of the Metazoa: An Inference from the Elongation Factor-1?.- 1 Introduction.- 2 Inference from EF-1α Sequences.- 3 Monophyly of the Metazoa.- 4 Phylogenetic Status of the Diploblasts.- 5 Conclusion.-References.

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Mary K. S. Ashcroft, RN, BA (Mount Sinai Hospital and Medical Center)
Description: This book is an edited volume comprised of seven chapters, each by a different set of contributors.
Purpose: The purpose is to examine the evolutionary origins of multicellular animals (Metazoa) using new evidence from nucleotide sequences and proteins. In particular, the question of a single or multiple origins of Metazoa is addressed. This an interesting and worthy question, as a number of evolutionary advances were necessarily associated with this major transition to multicellularity. The various chapters represent diverse approaches to addressing the issues, although this book does not represent a comprehensive coverage of the issue and there is little effort to integrate the results of studies reported in the various chapters.
Audience: This book will have a relatively limited audience of practicing scientists and graduate students in the fields of molecular evolution, comparative invertebrate biology, and those working on the origins and early diversification of life. The editor does not identify his target audience, but the topic and coverage are fairly narrow and specialized. The editor is an authority in the field and the contributors appear to be credible authorities.
Features: Some of the chapters are divided in many short sections, making for very choppy text. There are an adequate number of black-and-white schematic illustrations, phylogenetic trees, and some sequence alignment figures. There is one colored figure of homeobox gene alignments that is not particularly useful. Each chapter has its own list of references that are quite current and a short index for the entire book is also included.
Assessment: This book contains useful and interesting material that I do not believe has been collected elsewhere.. It is very current in its field. The audience, however, will be limited to specialists in the fields mentioned above. Libraries that primarily service biomedical researchers or undergraduates should probably not buy this book. Libraries serving basic biology departments with graduate students and researchers in evolutionary biology, invertebrate biology, and molecular biology should buy it.

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