Abstract Characterization of large numbers single‐nucleotide polymorphisms ( SNP s) throughout a genome has the power to refine understanding population demographic history and identify genomic regions under selection in natural populations. To this end, approaches that harness next‐generation sequencing understand ecology evolution marine invertebrates represent boon test long‐standing questions biology conservation. We employed restriction‐site‐associated DNA RAD ‐seq) s populations sea...

Abstract Background Calcium-activated photoproteins are luciferase variants found in photocyte cells of bioluminescent jellyfish (Phylum Cnidaria) and comb jellies Ctenophora). The complete genomic sequence from the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi , a representative earliest branch animals that emit light, provided an opportunity to examine genome organism uses this class for bioluminescence look genes involved light reception. To determine when photoprotein first arose, we examined other...

Little is known about venom in young developmental stages of animals. The appearance toxins and stinging cells during early embryonic the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis suggests that already expressed eggs larvae this species. Here, we harness transcriptomic, biochemical transgenic tools to study production dynamics Nematostella. We find composition arsenal toxin-producing change dramatically between These findings can be explained by vastly different interspecific interactions each life...

Abstract At the current rate of climate change, it is unlikely that multicellular organisms will be able to adapt changing environmental conditions through genetic recombination and natural selection alone. Thus, critical understand alternative mechanisms allow cope with rapid changes. Here, we use sea anemone Nematostella vectensis , which has evolved capability surviving in a wide range temperatures salinities, as model investigate microbiota source adaptation. We long-term acclimate...

Abstract Venom is a complex trait with substantial inter- and intraspecific variability resulting from strong selective pressures acting on the expression of many toxic proteins. However, understanding processes underlying toxin dynamics that determine venom phenotype remains unresolved. By interspecific comparisons we reveal in sea anemones evolves rapidly each species different family dictates by massive gene duplication events. In-depth analysis anemone, Nematostella vectensis , revealed...

Metamorphosis (Gr. meta- "change" + morphe "form") as a biological process is generally attributed to subset of animals: most famously insects and amphibians, but some fish many marine invertebrates well. We held symposium at the 2006 Society for Integrative Comparative Biology (SICB) annual meeting in Orlando, FL (USA) discuss metamorphosis comparative context. Specifically, we considered possibility that term "metamorphosis" could be rightly applied non-animals well, including fungi,...

Circadian rhythms in behavior and physiology are the observable phenotypes from cycles expression of, interactions between, degradation of underlying molecular components. In bilaterian animals, core components include Timeless-Timeout, photoreceptive cryptochromes, several members basic-loop-helix-Per-ARNT-Sim (bHLH-PAS) family. While many circadian genes conserved throughout Bilateria, their specific roles vary among species. Here, we identify experimentally study rhythmic gene clock a sea...

The establishment of host-bacterial colonization during development is a fundamental process influencing the fitness many organisms, but factors controlling community membership and microbial ecosystem are poorly understood. starlet sea anemone Nematostella vectensis serves as cnidarian model organism due to availability laboratory cultures its high tolerance for broad ranges salinity temperature. Here, we show that anemone's epithelia colonized by diverse bacterial communities composition...

Our understanding of the diverse interactions between hosts and microbes has grown profoundly over past two decades and, as a product, revolutionized our knowledge life sciences. Through primarily laboratory experiments, current framework for holobionts their respective hologenomes aims to decipher underpinnings implications symbioses host microbiome. However, setting restricts full spectrum host-associated symbionts compared those found in nature; thus, limiting potential holistic...

Abstract The cnidarian Nematostella vectensis has become an established lab model, providing unique opportunities for venom evolution research. system is multimodal: involving both nematocytes and ectodermal gland cells, which produce a toxin mixture whose composition changes throughout the life cycle. Additionally, their modes of interaction with predators prey vary between eggs, larvae, adults, likely shaped by dynamics system. Nv1 major component adult venom, activity against arthropods...

Gene families, which encode toxins, are found in many poisonous animals, yet there is limited understanding of their evolution at the nucleotide level. The release genome draft sequence for sea anemone Nematostella vectensis enabled a comprehensive study gene family whose neurotoxin products affect voltage-gated sodium channels. All members clustered highly repetitive ∼30-kb genomic region and single toxin, Nv1. These genes exhibit extreme conservation level cannot be explained by purifying...

Salt marshes are challenging habitats due to natural variability in key environmental parameters including temperature, salinity, ultraviolet light, oxygen, sulfides, and reactive oxygen species. Compounding this variation, salt often heavily impacted by anthropogenic insults eutrophication, toxic contamination, coastal development that alter tidal freshwater inputs. Commensurate with variability, estuarine animals generally exhibit broader physiological tolerances than freshwater, marine,...

Abstract Background The non-migratory killifish Fundulus heteroclitus inhabits clean and polluted environments interspersed throughout its range along the Atlantic coast of North America. Several populations this species have successfully adapted to contaminated with toxic aromatic hydrocarbon pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Previous studies suggest that mechanism resistance these other “dioxin-like compounds” (DLCs) may involve reduced signaling through aryl receptor...

Morphological plasticity is a genotype-by-environment interaction that enables organisms to increase fitness across varying environments. Symbioses with diverse microbiota may aid in acclimating this variation, but whether the associated bacteria community phenotype specific remains understudied. Here we induce morphological three species of sea urchin larvae and measure changes bacterial community. While each host has unique communities, expression results convergence on phenotype-specific...

Significance Although venom has evolved independently numerous times in animals, the origin of many proteins composing remains poorly characterized. We report a case protein recruitment from nervous to system sea anemone Nematostella . discovered toxin packaged stinging cells and with lethal activity against fish. Surprisingly, it is similar peptide (neuropeptide) regulating development. Comparisons other anemones showed that these two functionally different peptides originated due...

Significance Microbes have a strong impact on the biology of their host, with those living in gut being essential to immunity, development, and metabolism. A functional gut, however, has been lost several times during animal evolution. Here, using sister sea urchin species, we report that loss corresponds reduced microbial diversity abundance. Gut also coincides associating an endosymbiont complements host nutrition potentially impacts reproduction. Therefore, transitions developmental life...

Most multicellular organisms harbor microbial colonizers that provide various benefits to their hosts. Although these communities may be host species- or even genotype-specific, the associated bacterial can respond plastically environmental changes. In this study, we estimated relative contribution of environment and genotype community composition in Nematostella vectensis , an estuarine cnidarian. We sampled N . polyps from 5 different populations along a north–south gradient on Atlantic...

Summary Evolutionary transitions in larval nutritional mode have occurred on numerous occasions independently many marine invertebrate phyla. Although the evolutionary transition from feeding to nonfeeding development has received considerable attention through both experimental and theoretical studies, mechanisms underlying change life history remain poorly understood. Facultative larvae (larvae that can feed but will complete metamorphosis without food) presumably represent an intermediate...

Abstract. The starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis , is a small burrowing estuarine animal, native to the Atlantic coast of North America. In recent years, this anemone has emerged as model system in cnidarian developmental biology. Molecular studies embryology and larval development N. have provided important insights into evolution key metazoan traits. However, adult body plan may arise via four distinct trajectories: (1) embryogenesis following sexual reproduction, (2) asexual...