本期Nature发表了大堡礁海绵Amphimedon queenslandica的基因组草图，同时还有比较基因组分析结果。

海绵被认为处在动物界最早的分支上，是“真”动物或“真后生动物”的一个姐妹类群。因此，海绵对多细胞性起源的研究做出了重要贡献。分析表明，该基因组在内容、结构和组织上都与其他动物基因组非常相似，并且显示了与动物的起源和早期演化相关的基因组事件，包括“泛后生动物”转录因子、信号通道和结构基因的出现、扩张和分化。

原文出处：

Nature doi:10.1038/nature09201

The Amphimedon queenslandica genome and the evolution of animal complexity
Mansi Srivastava,Oleg Simakov,Jarrod Chapman,Bryony Fahey,Marie E. A. Gauthier,Therese Mitros,Gemma S. Richards,Cecilia Conaco,Michael Dacre,Uffe Hellsten,Claire Larroux,Nicholas H. Putnam,Mario Stanke,Maja Adamska,Aaron Darling,Sandie M. Degnan,Todd H. Oakley,David C. Plachetzki,Yufeng Zhai,Marcin Adamski,Andrew Calcino,Scott F. Cummins,David M. Goodstein,Christina Harris,Daniel J. Jackson,et al

Sponges are an ancient group of animals that diverged from other metazoans over 600 million years ago. Here we present the draft genome sequence of Amphimedon queenslandica, a demosponge from the Great Barrier Reef, and show that it is remarkably similar to other animal genomes in content, structure and organization. Comparative analysis enabled by the sequencing of the sponge genome reveals genomic events linked to the origin and early evolution of animals, including the appearance, expansion and diversification of pan-metazoan transcription factor, signalling pathway and structural genes. This diverse ‘toolkit’ of genes correlates with critical aspects of all metazoan body plans, and comprises cell cycle control and growth, development, somatic- and germ-cell specification, cell adhesion, innate immunity and allorecognition. Notably, many of the genes associated with the emergence of animals are also implicated in cancer, which arises from defects in basic processes associated with metazoan multicellularity.