Hierarchical phylogenetics as a quantitative analytical framework for evolutionary developmental biology

Article Abstract:

The application of phylogenetic methods to organizational levels such as morphological structures or cell types, to identify evolutionary patterns, is studied. It is found that phylogenetics is currently underutilized because of its focus only on species and genes but can be generalized to bifurcate modules at all levels of biological organization to provide valuable analytical framework for testing fundamental evolutionary developmental biology (EDB) hypotheses.

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Did internal transport, rather than directed locomotion, favor the evolution of bilateral symmetry in animals

Article Abstract:

Different species of animals are studied to find whether internal transport rather than directed locomotion favored the evolution of bilateral symmetry in them. The results shows that the genetic capacity to develop either bilateral or radial symmetry depends on organismal size and feeding habits but more research is necessary in a wide range of metazoans to explain the origin of this trait.

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A new evolutionary scenario for the vertebrate jaw

Article Abstract:

A comparison of expression patterns of regulatory genes between the gnathostome and lamprey embryos is presented. The study reveals the essential changes that were responsible for the evolution of the vertebrate jaw. A specific topographical change of inductive tissuer interactions is described.

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