How the vertebrates were made: Selective pruning of a double-duplicated genome

Abstract

Vertebrates are the result of an ancient double duplication of the genome. A new study published in BMC Biology explores the selective retention of genes after this event, finding an extensive enrichment of signaling proteins and transcription factors. Analysis of their expression patterns, interactions and subsequent history reflect the forces that drove their evolution, and with it the evolution of vertebrate complexity. © 2010 Manning and Scheeff; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.