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International Journal of Zoological Research

Year: 2006 | Volume: 2 | Issue: 4 | Page No.: 284-300
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Authors

R. Barthelemy

F. Petenian

J. Vannier

J.P. Casanova

E. Faure

Keywords

Research Article

Evolutionary History of the Chaetognaths Inferred from Actin and 18S-28S rRNA Paralogous Genes

R. Barthelemy, F. Petenian, J. Vannier, J.P. Casanova and E. Faure
The chaetognaths constitute a small and enigmatic phylum of marine invertebrates whose phylogenetic affinities remain uncertain. Our phylogenetical investigations inferred from partial paralogous 18S-28S rRNA genes suggest that the event resulting in the presence of two classes of rRNA genes would have occurred at approximately 300-400 million years and prior to the radiation of extant chaetognath, whereas the taxon, according to both molecular and paleontological data, would be dated from at least the Early Cambrian. These divergent rRNA genes could be the result of a whole ribosomal cluster duplication or of an allopolyploid event during a crisis period, since, the fossil are lacking posterioly to the post-Carboniferous period (c.a., 300 million years). In addition, actin phylogeny evidenced that the cytoplasmic chaetognath actin clustered with the cytoplasmic insect actins, while the muscular chaetognath actins are placed basal to all muscular vertebrate actins. The present study suggests that the gene conversion mechanisms could be inefficient in this taxon; this could explain the conservation of extremely divergent paralogous sequences in the chaetognath genomes which could be correlated to the difficulties to identify a sister group between chaetognaths and other taxa among metazoans.
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