Highlighted papers
Dynamics of genomic innovation in the unicellular ancestry of animals
Grau-Bové, X.; Torruella, G.; Donachie, S.; Suga, H.; Leonard, G.; Richards, T.A.; Ruiz-Trillo, I. (2017)
Elife. 6. pii: e26036. doi: 10.7554/eLife.26036
This manuscript presents the complete genome sequence of four close unicellular relatives of animals. By comparing their genomes with those of animals and other close unicellular relatives of animals, the way genome evolution worked in pre-metazoan organisms was analysed. In particular, a burst in gene diversity in pre-metazoans, followed by multiple ―and sometimes convergent― episodes of synteny disruption, intron gain and genome expansions, were described. Overall, the paper shows a dynamic evolution of genomic architecture in the animal ancestors that played a crucial role in the evolution of animals.
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