The Origin of multicellularity in animals : a functional approach from a unicellular perspective : Developing Capsaspora owczarzaki as an emerging model
Year: 2019
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The origin of animal multicellularity is a major evolutionary question. Recent genome data from the closest extant unicellular relatives of animals revealed that they actually possess and express a complex repertoire of genes related to animal development and multicellularity. Thus, assessing the functions of those genes in those unicellular relatives is key to gaining insight into to how they were co-opted at the onset of animals. However, such analyses have been hampered by the lack of genetic tools. Overall, this thesis advances our understanding of how co-option worked by using two different approaches. First, I provide a reliable transfection method for the filasterean Capsaspora owczarzaki, the close unicellular relative of animals with the richest repertoire of genes related to transcriptional regulation. This accomplishment converts Capsaspora into a unique experimentally tractable organism to investigate the origin and evolution of animal multicellularity. Then, I provide evidence of a remarkable degree of conservation between several transcription factor (TFs) networks in Capsaspora, suggesting that complex regulatory networks of TFs existed in the unicellular ancestor of animals.
Authors: Ros i Rocher, Nuria Nuria
Language: English
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2931393287