In search for a general tendency of chordate embryonic evolution by analyzing genetic expression patterns during development

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H05603
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Evolutionary biology
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Irie Naoki 東京大学, 大学院理学系研究科(理学部), 准教授 (10536121)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 進化 / 進化発生学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Animals, including human being, have diversified into variety of environments and changed our appearances to a great extent through evolutionary time scale. However, with unknown reasons, basic anatomical features of our body, especially for that in vertebrates (including mammals, reptiles, avian, amphibians, and fish) remained largely unchanged. By studying gene expression profiles during development, we have tackled this problem, as the developmental process is the phase that makes up our body. We have measured and analyzed tens of thousands of genes working during vertebrate embryos, and found out that re-usages of genes may have been constrained the evolutionary diversification of basic anatomical bodyplan of vertebrates.

Free Research Field

進化