Science

Octopus and cuttlefish suckers may have evolved by repurposing ancient developmental genes

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Briefings

Researchers from the University of Tokyo compared gene activity in cuttlefish, octopus, and snail body parts, discovering that cephalopod suckers evolved by reusing ancient developmental genes. The study revealed that while cephalopod arms expressed genes for appendage patterning, suckers expressed Ets1, a gene linked to early mollusk embryonic development, indicating a repurposing of existing genetic machinery.

Key points

• Cephalopod suckers evolved by reusing existing genes in new ways, as evidenced by the expression of Ets1 in developing suckers.
• Gene activity patterns differed between cephalopod arms and suckers, with arms showing appendage patterning genes while suckers expressed Ets1.

Context

This research addresses the mystery of cephalopod evolution by identifying a mechanism where ancestral developmental genes were repurposed for new structures, specifically in the evolution of suckers.

Limitations

The study compares gene activity during embryonic development across three species, but it does not provide data on adult anatomy, evolutionary timelines, or functional outcomes beyond the developmental expression patterns.

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