Knockdown of Parhyale Ultrabithorax recapitulates evolutionary changes in crustacean appendage morphology

Authors

Danielle M. Liubicich, Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley
Julia M. Serano, Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Center for Integrative Genomics, University of California, Berkeley
Anastasios Pavlopoulos, Laboratory for Development and Evolution, Department of Zoology, University Museum of Zoology
Zacharias Kontarakis, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
Meredith E. Protas, Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Center for Integrative Genomics, University of California, BerkeleyFollow
Elaine Kwan, Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Center for Integrative Genomics, University of California, Berkeley
Sandip Chatterjee, Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Center for Integrative Genomics, University of California, Berkeley
Khoa D. Tran, Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Center for Integrative Genomics, University of California, Berkeley
Michalis Averof, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
Nipam H. Patel, Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, BerkeleyFollow

Document Type

Article

Source

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

ISSN

1091-6490

Volume

106

Issue

33

First Page

13892

Last Page

13896

Publication Date

8-18-2009

Department

Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Abstract

Crustaceans possess remarkably diverse appendages, both between segments of a single individual as well as between species. Previous studies in a wide range of crustaceans have demonstrated a correlation between the anterior expression boundary of the homeotic (Hox) gene Ultrabithorax (Ubx) and the location and number of specialized thoracic feeding appendages, called maxillipeds. Given that Hox genes regulate regional identity in organisms as diverse as mice and flies, these observations in crustaceans led to the hypothesis that Ubx expression regulates the number of maxillipeds and that evolutionary changes in Ubx expression have generated various aspects of crustacean appendage diversity. Specifically, evolutionary changes in the expression boundary of Ubx have resulted in crustacean species with either 0, 1, 2, or 3 pairs of thoracic maxillipeds. Here we test this hypothesis by altering the expression of Ubx in Parhyale hawaiensis, a crustacean that normally possesses a single pair of maxillipeds. By reducing Ubx expression, we can generate Parhyale with additional maxillipeds in a pattern reminiscent of that seen in other crustacean species, and these morphological alterations are maintained as the animals molt and mature. These results provide critical evidence supporting the proposition that changes in Ubx expression have played a role in generating crustacean appendage diversity and lend general insights into the mechanisms of morphological evolution.

Rights

Copyright © 2009 The Author(s)

PubMed ID

19666517

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.