ArticleGenome biology and evolution2019
Sponges Lack ParaHox Genes.
Article in Genome biology and evolution, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed.
- Reproduction and Development in Calcareous Sponges: A Panorama of the Last Two Centuries.Molecular reproduction and development · 2026Review
- ParaHox Genes Revisited: From Gut Patterning to Integrated Axial and Neural Organization in Rotifera.Journal of experimental zoology. Part B, Molecular and developmental evolution · 2026Article
- Article
- Molecular evidence from xenacoelomorph gonopore formation supports homology with the bilaterian anus.Nature ecology & evolution · 2025Article
- Improving Orthologous Signal and Model Fit in Datasets Addressing the Root of the Animal Phylogeny.Molecular biology and evolution · 2023Article
- Early animal evolution: a morphologist's view.Royal Society open science · 2019Review
- Molecular signature of an ancient organizer regulated by Wnt/β-catenin signalling during primary body axis patterning inCommunications biology · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Addressing the origin of axial-patterning machinery is essential for understanding the evolution of animal form. Historically, sponges, a lineage that branched off early in animal evolution, were thought to lack Hox and ParaHox genes, suggesting that these critical axial-patterning genes arose after sponges diverged. However, a recent study has challenged this long-held doctrine by claiming to identify ParaHox genes (Cdx family) in two calcareous sponge species, Sycon ciliatum and Leucosolenia complicata. We reanalyzed the main data sets in this paper and analyzed an additional data set that expanded the number of bilaterians represented and removed outgroup homeodomains. As in the previous study, our Neighbor-Joining analyses of the original data sets recovered a clade that included sponge and Cdx genes, whereas Bayesian analyses placed these sponge genes within the NKL subclass of homeodomains. Unlike the original study, only one of our two maximum-likelihood analyses was congruent with Cdx genes in sponges. Our analyses of our additional data set led to the sponge genes consistently being placed within the NKL subclass of homeodomains regardless of method or model. Our results show more support for these sponge genes belonging to the NKL subclass, and therefore imply that Hox and ParaHox genes arose after Porifera diverged from the rest of animals.
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