Background The duplication of genes can occur through various mechanisms and is thought
to make a major contribution to the evolutionary diversification of organisms. There is …

Background Arthropods comprise the largest and most diverse phylum on Earth and play
vital roles in nearly every ecosystem. Their diversity stems in part from variations on a …

Background The Wnt genes encode secreted glycoprotein ligands that regulate a wide
range of developmental processes, including axis elongation and segmentation. There are …

The Wnt genes encode secreted glycoprotein ligands that regulate many developmental
processes from axis formation to tissue regeneration [1]. In bilaterians, there are at least 12 …

One of the key morphogenetic processes used during development is the controlled
intercalation of cells between their neighbors. This process has been co-opted into a range of …

The spiders Cupiennius salei and Achaearanea tepidariorum are firmly established laboratory
models that have already contributed greatly to answering evolutionary developmental …

Evolution often results in morphologically similar solutions in different organisms, a phenomenon
known as convergence. However, there is little knowledge of the processes that lead to …

The prosoma of spiders bears different gnathal (labrum, chelicerae, pedipalps) and locomotory
appendages (legs). In most species these appendages are also used for additional …

Parasteatoda tepidariorum is an increasingly popular model for the study of spider
development and the evolution of development more broadly. However, fully understanding the …

Background Hox genes are expressed in specific domains along the anterior posterior body
axis and define the regional identity. In most animals these genes are organized in a single …