Development 126, 2327-2334 (1999) 2327 Printed in Great Britain © The Company of Biologists Limited 1999 DEV8572 Analysis of molecular marker expression reveals neuronal homology in distantly related arthropods Molly Duman-Scheel1 and Nipam H. Patel2,* 1Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, 920 East 58th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA 2Department of Anatomy and Organismal Biology and HHMI, University of Chicago, MC1028, AMBN101, 5841 South Maryland Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637, USA *Author for correspondence (e-mail:
[email protected]) Accepted 16 March; published on WWW 4 May 1999 SUMMARY Morphological studies suggest that insects and crustaceans markers, across a number of arthropod species. This of the Class Malacostraca (such as crayfish) share a set of molecular analysis allows us to verify the homology of homologous neurons. However, expression of molecular previously identified malacostracan neurons and to identify markers in these neurons has not been investigated, and the additional homologous neurons in malacostracans, homology of insect and malacostracan neuroblasts, the collembolans and branchiopods. Engrailed expression in neural stem cells that produce these neurons, has been the neural stem cells of a number of crustaceans was also questioned. Furthermore, it is not known whether found to be conserved. We conclude that despite their crustaceans of the Class Branchiopoda (such as brine distant phylogenetic relationships and divergent shrimp) or arthropods of the Order Collembola mechanisms of neurogenesis, insects, malacostracans, (springtails) possess neurons that are homologous to those branchiopods and collembolans share many common CNS of other arthropods. Assaying expression of molecular components. markers in the developing nervous systems of various arthropods could resolve some of these issues.