Evolution of

Early Branching Metazoans

Currently, our perception of animals is highly biased to bilaterians (all bilaterally symmetrical animals including eg insects and vertebrates). To gain a broader perspective on the evolution of animals, we must look into a more comprehensive range of extant species, such as non-bilaterian animals. Non-bilaterian animals, including sponges, comb jellies, placozoans and cnidarians (corals, sea anemones and jellyfish), represent early evolutionary forms of animal life that diverged more than 600 million years ago from other animal groups.

Comparative studies with these animals provide insights into the early evolution of gene regulation mechanisms necessary for developing complex multicellular animals. At the MBA, we culture a range of non-bilaterian animals to investigate some of the fundamental evolution topics in animals, including the origin of neurons, larval sensory system and small RNA biogenesis in non-bilaterian animals

Our Research Impacts


Molecular and cellular architecture of the larval sensory organ

The apical organ is a neurosensory structure engaged in sensing environmental cues to modulate swimming behaviour and metamorphosis of ciliated planktonic larvae of marine invertebrates. The evolutionary success of the planktonic larvae can be attributed to the apical sensory organ featured with neurons, which allows integrating multiple sensory inputs to produce global responses. Our study revealed molecular and cellular complexity of the sensory system of a morphologically simple sea anemone larva with a phylogenetic position key for understanding the evolution of nervous system. In the long term, our discoveries of mechanisms regulating the life cycle of marine invertebrates will assist in conservation of coastal marine ecosystems. 

Regeneration in sponge Sycon ciliatum mimics postlarval development

A long-standing question in the field of regeneration is whether and to what degree regeneration recapitulates embryonic developmental pathways. Somatic cells dissociated from an adult sponge have the unique ability to reaggregate and fully reconstitute into a functional sponge. This makes the sponge a unique model system for understanding the molecular and evolutionary underpinnings of regeneration. We demonstrated that dissociated sponge cells progressed through a series of morphological and cellular events that vastly overlapped with embryonic and postlarval development. Suggest that sponge regeneration represents somatic or non-zygotic development. Our findings shed new light on the key biological properties that are crucial to understanding the evolution of animal regeneration and Evo-devo. 

Key Publications

Molecular and cellular architecture of the larval sensory organ in the cnidarian Nematostella vectensis – Development

Regeneration in the sponge Sycon ciliatum partly mimics postlarval development – Development 

E

The methyltransferase HEN1 is required in Nematostella vectensis for microRNA and piRNA stability as well as larval metamorphosis – PLOS Genetics 


Our Team

Venky Modepalli

Dr Vengamanaidu Modepalli

Anne Warner Research Fellow

Dr Vengamanaidu Modepalli

Anne Warner Research Fellow

Venky Modepalli

venmod@mba.ac.uk

Eleanor Gilbert

Eleanor Gilbert

PhD Student

Eleanor Gilbert

PhD Student

Eleanor Gilbert

elegil@mba.ac.uk

Profile photo staff member Belle Heaton standing in front of aquarium tanks

Belle Heaton MRes

Research Technician

Belle Heaton MRes

Research Technician

Profile photo staff member Belle Heaton standing in front of aquarium tanks

belhea@mba.ac.uk

I am a research technician working mainly with the Coastal Ecology research groups. I work mainly on Nova Mieszkowska’s team, helping with both fieldwork surveys and the processing and identification of marine organisms. I also work as part of the aquarist team to help maintain the condition of the Research Aquarium and ensure good health of the resident marine organisms.

I have previously been on a placement year (2018-2019) during my undergraduate degree (Marine Biology and Oceanography) within the MBA working within the Outreach Team. I was subsequently employed briefly by the MBA (2019) to help promote the opening of the National Marine Park.

I now have an MRes in Applied Marine Science, which focused on the effects of Magallana gigas (Pacific Oysters) on macrobenthic biodiversity within estuaries of the Southwest, UK. I feel extremely lucky to work at the MBA and I wish to further build upon my coastal ecology and taxonomic knowledge. I am intrigued to see how the Pacific Oyster story unfolds within the UK and in the future would potentially pursue further research into the species.

I love going gym, swimming, snorkelling, climbing and hiking so Plymouth has been kind of perfect for me the past few years. I look forward to the new opportunities and surprises that await me within this new job role.

Yousef Touhami

Yousef Touhami

Research Technician

Yousef Touhami

Research Technician

Yousef Touhami

youtou@mba.ac.uk