Meeting Abstract
Pax6 has proven to be a crucial regulatory element in development of structures ranging from eyes to kidneys, and plays a particularly interesting role in neuronal systems. Furthermore it has been shown to be a master regulator protein of a highly evolutionarily conserved network of genes. The fact that orthologs of this crucial protein are present in an organism that lacks all organized tissue, like the sea sponge, offers us insight into how intricate pathways may have originated and how they have been conserved and exapted for novel functions in animals with more complex body plans. Previous studies have revealed that the sponge model, Ephydatia muelleri, has the ability to induce behavioral “sneezing” responses in which the sponge inflates and contracts its osculum and ostia in quick succession following an external stimulus. In order for such a response to occur, it has been hypothesized that Ephydatia must possess some rudimentary sensory system to signal these actions. Furthermore the Ephydatia genome has been shown to carry a number of known pro neuronal and synaptic genes. Showing that these genes are regulated by the Pax6 transcription factor and assessing their role in the sponges basic behavior will help us better understand the fundamental origins of nervous systems as a whole.
