Were We Sponges or Slime?

Jan 29, 2009

New research suggests that placozoans, amoeba-like, multicelled organisms, are ancestors to sea sponges, thought to be the most ancient ancestor of all animals, says a blog post at Discover magazine. In work published this week, scientists performed molecular phylogenetic analysis of animals from 24 taxa, generating a new tree of life that placed placozoans, sponges, and jellyfish on one line and more complex animals on another.

To read the full story....

...and receive Daily News bulletins.

Already have a GenomeWeb or 360Dx account?
Login Now.

Don't have a GenomeWeb or 360Dx account?
Register for Free.

Breaking News

The Scan

Shift to New Variant Work

Imperial College London researchers are shifting away from testing a COVID-19 vaccine to focus on combating newly emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants, the Independent says.

Victim Identified with Genetic Genealogy

According to the Associated Press, genetic genealogy has helped law enforcement officials identify an unknown victim of the Green River Killer.

PNAS Papers on Chemotherapy-Induced Cardiac Injury Target, Viral Insertions, SMRT Methylation Profiling

In PNAS this week: target to reduce chemotherapy-induced cardiac injury, tool finds ancient endogenous RNA viruses, and more.

Should Also Work

Moderna reports its vaccine is effective against new SARS-CoV-2 strains, though it is also developing a booster, according to the New York Times.

Menu