SCHIERWATER, B; JAKOB, W; SAGASSER, S; DELLAPORTA, S; TiHo Hannover; TiHo Hannover; TiHo Hannover; Yale University: Trichoplax adhaerens and B�tschlis� �urmetazoan� model system A more than a century old debate has been focusing on the origin of the Metazoa and the hypothetical �urmetazoan� bauplan. A basal position for the morphologically most simply organized metazoan animal, […]

FURLA, P.*; SHICK, J.M.; ALLEMAND, D.; ZOCCOLA, D.; Univ. of Nice, France; Univ. of Maine, Orono; Univ. of Nice, France; Centre Scientifique de Monaco: The symbiotic cnidarian: a physiological chimera of alga and animal Cnidarians (corals and sea anemones) harboring photosynthetic algae (dinoflagellates and chlorophytes) derive several benefits from the association. Nevertheless, phototrophic symbiosis imposes […]

MCFADDEN, C.S.*; SANCHEZ, J.A.; FRANCE, S.C.; Harvey Mudd College; Smithsonian Institution; College of Charleston: The evolution of colony morphology in Octocorallia: a phylogenetic approach. The anthozoan subclass Octocorallia includes the orders Pennatulacea (sea pens) and Alcyonacea (soft corals and sea fans). All but one of the approximately 2000 species in this group are colonial, and […]

BOSCH, Thomas C.G.; University of Kiel: Peptides and the interpretation of positional information in Hydra Understanding the “tool kit” that builds the most fundamental aspects of animal complexity requires data from basal animals. Among the earliest diverging animal phyla are the Cnidaria which are the first in having a defined body plan including an axis, […]

CARTWRIGHT, P.; University of Kansas: Patterns and processes of hydrozoan polyp and colony evolution The notion that developmental processes hold clues into the order and classification of animal life can be traced back to the earliest recordings of biological investigations. Not until recently however, due to advances in phylogenetics and developmental biology, has it been […]

BLACKSTONE, Neil; Northern Illinois University: Longevity and Environmental Signaling The principal invertebrate model systems for studying longevity��worms and flies��have provided considerable insight into the molecular genetic mechanisms underlying aging. Nevertheless, these models have limitations: as adults, worms are completely post-mitotic and flies nearly so. Given the potential significance of stem cells as a therapeutic for […]

GRENS, A.; Indiana University South Bend: Conservation of a Developmental Mechanism: Basic-Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors in Cell Fate Specification Hox genes and their role in patterning is perhaps the most extensively studied example of a conserved molecular mechanism for a developmental process. However, cell fate specification, the commitment of a multipotent cell to one specific cell […]

BRIDGE, D.B.*; GORDON, A.A.; SHAFFER, A.L.; Elizabethtown College: Basal metazoans and the evolution of circulatory systems Systems of fluid-bearing tubes or canals are present in colonial cnidarians as well as sponges. This raises the question of whether conserved mechanisms regulating the development of branching, fluid-bearing tubes arose early within the Metazoa. In vertebrates, the secreted […]

COLLINS, AG; MEDINA, M; COLLINS, JA; SCHIERWATER, B; TiHo-Hannover; Joint Genome Institute; TiHo-Hannover; TiHo-Hannover: 28S rDNA Data Further Resolve the Phylogeny of Cnidaria Cnidaria has been the subject of several analyses of molecular data that attempt to resolve evolutionary relationships among and within its component groups. These studies have renewed interest in cnidarian character evolution […]

LEYS, SP; University of Alberta: Sponge development: using microscopy to understand key features of the metazoan body plan. Sponges (Porifera) are enigmatic animals whose unusual body plans make interpreting phylogenetic relationships within the group and with other basal metazoan taxa a difficult task. Although molecular approaches have offered new insights, some questions can only be […]