The evolutionary origin of the mammalian diaphragm: an integrative approach studying genes, cells and Permo-Triassic fossils

• Project/Area Number: 25610152
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Stratigraphy/Paleontology
• Research Institution: The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: HIRASAWA Tatsuya 独立行政法人理化学研究所, 倉谷形態進化研究室, 研究員 (60585793)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2014)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,380,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥780,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000)
• Keywords: 進化 / 発生 / 化石 / 横隔膜 / 哺乳類 / 前肢筋 / 肩帯 / 羊膜類

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The diaphragm is a mammalian-specific evolutionary novelty, whose origin and early evolution has remained unclear. In this study, through investigations on the fossil record, in particular skeletons of basal synapsids, and on Hox gene expression patterns, I obtained evidence that the diaphragm evolved from a shoulder muscle of the ancestors. In addition, analyses on transformations of lateral body walls during embryonic development demonstrated that the lateral body wall at cervical levels later extends into the thorax along with the caudal transposition of the heart, and suggest that this infolding of the lateral body wall in the embryonic body provided the basis for the diaphragm separating the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Eolution of the vertebrate skeleton - morphology, embryology and development. (2015)
  • Author(s): Hirasawa, T., and Kuratani, S.
  • Journal Title: Zool. Lett. Volume: 1:2 Issue: 1 Pages: 1-17
  • DOI: 10.1186/s40851-014-0007-7
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Evolution and development of ventricular septation in the amniote heart (2014)
  • Author(s): Poelmann RE, Gittenberger-de Groot AC, Vicente-Steijn R, Wisse LJ, Bartelings MM, Everts S, Hoppenbrouwers T, Kruithof BP, Jensen B, de Bruin PW, Hirasawa T, Kuratani S, Vonk F, van de Put JM, de Bakker MA, and Richardson MK
  • Journal Title: PLoS One Volume: 9 Issue: 9 Pages: e106569-e106569
  • DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0106569
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Origin of the unique morphology of the shoulder girdle in turtles. (2013)
  • Author(s): Nagashima, H., Hirasawa, T., Sugahara, F., Takechi, M., Usuda, R., Sato, N., Kuratani, S.
  • Journal Title: J. Anat. Volume: 223(6) Issue: 6 Pages: 547-556
  • DOI: 10.1111/joa.12116
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] The endoskeletal origin of the turtle carapace (2013)
  • Author(s): Hirasawa, T., Nagashima, H., Kuratani, S.
  • Journal Title: Nature Commnications Volume: 4:2107 Issue: 1 Pages: 2107-2107
  • DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3107
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] A new scenario of the evolutionary derivation of the mammalian diaphragm from shoulder muscles (2013)
  • Author(s): Hirasawa, T., Kuratani, S.
  • Journal Title: Journal of Anatomy Volume: 222 Issue: 5 Pages: 504-517
  • DOI: 10.1111/joa.12037
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] Timing of skeletal muscle development during primary body wall transformation in amniote embryos (2015)
  • Author(s): Hirasawa T, Fujimoto S, Kuratani S
  • Organizer: CDB Symposium 2015
  • Place of Presentation: Kobe, Japan
  • Year and Date: 2015-03-25
• [Presentation] Development of the vertebral column in amphibians reveals mechanisms for evolutionary transition from water to land (2014)
  • Author(s): Bohmer C, Hirasawa T, Kuratani S Frobisch N
  • Organizer: 74th Annual Meeting, Society of Vertebrate Paleontology
  • Place of Presentation: Berlin, Germany
  • Year and Date: 2014-11-05
• [Presentation] Evolutionary origin of the diaphragm: a novelty acquired by homeotic duplication of shoulder muscles (2014)
  • Author(s): Hirasawa T
  • Organizer: Symposium at the 16th Annual Meeting of the Society of Evolutionary Studies, Japan: Evolutionary Developmental Changes Behind Novel Adaptations
  • Place of Presentation: Osaka, Japan
  • Year and Date: 2014-08-22
  • Invited
• [Presentation] Positions of hearts and their surrounding muscles: problems of evolutionary origins of the neck and the diaphragm (2014)
  • Author(s): Hirasawa T
  • Organizer: 1st International Meeting of Evolutionary Developmental Biology of Heart and Head Muscles
  • Place of Presentation: Washington DC, USA
  • Year and Date: 2014-05-12
  • Invited
• [Presentation] 横隔膜の進化的起源研究における新展開
  • Author(s): 平沢達矢、倉谷滋
  • Organizer: 日本古生物学会第163回例会
  • Place of Presentation: 兵庫県立人と自然の博物館、兵庫県三田市
• [Presentation] 横隔膜の進化的起源
  • Author(s): 平沢達矢、倉谷滋
  • Organizer: 日本進化学会第15回大会
  • Place of Presentation: 筑波大学、茨城県つくば市
• [Presentation] Developmental plan of the amniote shoulder girdle and its evolutionary diversity
  • Author(s): Nagashima, H., Hirasawa, T., Sugahara, F., Takechi, M., Sato, N., Kuratani, S.
  • Organizer: 10th International Congress of Vertebrate Morphology
  • Place of Presentation: Fira Palace Hotel, Narcelona, Spain
• [Presentation] The evolutionary derivation of the diaphragm from a shoulder muscle: a new hypothesis
  • Author(s): Hirasawa, T., Kuratani, S.
  • Organizer: 10th International Congress of Vertebrate Morphology
  • Place of Presentation: Fira Palace Hotel, Narcelona, Spain
• [Book] 細胞工学（カメの甲の初期進化：約2億5000万年前に何が起きたのか） (2014)
  • Author(s): 平沢達矢、Juan Pascual-Anaya、倉谷滋
  • Publisher: 学研メディカル秀潤社