Nature & Environment
Modern Day Evolution Genetically Less Complex and Simpler
Sandra Smith
First Posted: Sep 30, 2012 02:45 PM EDT
Some modern day animals may possibly have evolved to become less complex, contradicting the theory of evolution which suggests that our humans and animals evolved genetically more complex than early ancestors.
It is a common notion that the evolutionary process gives rise to diverse biological traits including molecules and DNA even though life evolved from a common ancestor. It is believed that complex creatures evolved from simplistic ancestors over a period of time based on genetic mutations that occurred in various organisms.
But a new study has contradicted the perception and has suggested some animals that evolved from ancient ancestors have become less complex by losing some of their genes and have become a more simplistic creature.
A team of researchers led by Dr David Ferrier of The Scottish Oceans Institute at the University of St Andrews studied two genes - Hox and ParaHox - which played a significant role in the development of most of the modern-day animals. The experts sequenced the genome of the ancient animals by comparing the gene sequence of human like animals and sea anemones.
They reconstructed the neighborhood genes surrounding the Hox and ParaHox genes of the ancient animals that lived 550 million years ago. They found that most of these neighborhood genes still exist in animals like sponges and placozoans which evolved even before the arrival of sea anemones and human like animals. However, these animals did not have the Hox and ParaHox genes on their own.
"These neighbourhoods are like ghosts in these genomes, providing a faint representation of what existed previously, with the Hox and ParaHox genes having died and disappeared, but leaving a ghostly outline behind," Ferrier said in a news release.
This study shows evidence suggesting that some of these animals evolved into modern day humans with less complex genes. "This new approach, which reveals the ancient origin of these important developmental control genes, means the hunt for these genes in early animal lineages is now back on," Ferrier said.
The findings of the study are published in the journal Current Biology.
See Now:
NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone
©2024 ScienceWorldReport.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The window to the world of science news.
More on SCIENCEwr
First Posted: Sep 30, 2012 02:45 PM EDT
Some modern day animals may possibly have evolved to become less complex, contradicting the theory of evolution which suggests that our humans and animals evolved genetically more complex than early ancestors.
It is a common notion that the evolutionary process gives rise to diverse biological traits including molecules and DNA even though life evolved from a common ancestor. It is believed that complex creatures evolved from simplistic ancestors over a period of time based on genetic mutations that occurred in various organisms.
But a new study has contradicted the perception and has suggested some animals that evolved from ancient ancestors have become less complex by losing some of their genes and have become a more simplistic creature.
A team of researchers led by Dr David Ferrier of The Scottish Oceans Institute at the University of St Andrews studied two genes - Hox and ParaHox - which played a significant role in the development of most of the modern-day animals. The experts sequenced the genome of the ancient animals by comparing the gene sequence of human like animals and sea anemones.
They reconstructed the neighborhood genes surrounding the Hox and ParaHox genes of the ancient animals that lived 550 million years ago. They found that most of these neighborhood genes still exist in animals like sponges and placozoans which evolved even before the arrival of sea anemones and human like animals. However, these animals did not have the Hox and ParaHox genes on their own.
"These neighbourhoods are like ghosts in these genomes, providing a faint representation of what existed previously, with the Hox and ParaHox genes having died and disappeared, but leaving a ghostly outline behind," Ferrier said in a news release.
This study shows evidence suggesting that some of these animals evolved into modern day humans with less complex genes. "This new approach, which reveals the ancient origin of these important developmental control genes, means the hunt for these genes in early animal lineages is now back on," Ferrier said.
The findings of the study are published in the journal Current Biology.
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone