Signaling output genes shed light on evolutionary crossroads of vertebrates

A Small Genetic Shift May Have Launched Vertebrate Evolution

Learn how increased protein diversity in signaling genes may have helped drive the shift from invertebrates to vertebrates, reshaping how animals with a spine evolved.

Signaling output genes shed light on evolutionary crossroads of vertebrates

New research from the University of St Andrews has discovered a crucial piece in the puzzle of how all animals with a spine—including all mammals, fish, reptiles and amphibians—evolved. In a paper published in BMC Biology, researchers found an intriguing pattern of gene evolution which appears to be significant for the evolutionary origin and diversification of vertebrates.