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. 2024 Mar 7:12:1346032.
doi: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1346032. eCollection 2024.

Parallel evolution of gravity sensing

Daria Y Romanova  1 , Leonid L Moroz  2   3
Affiliations

Parallel evolution of gravity sensing

Daria Y Romanova et al. Front Cell Dev Biol. .

Abstract

Omnipresent gravity affects all living organisms; it was a vital factor in the past and the current bottleneck for future space exploration. However, little is known about the evolution of gravity sensing and the comparative biology of gravity reception. Here, by tracing the parallel evolution of gravity sensing, we encounter situations when assemblies of homologous modules result in the emergence of non-homologous structures with similar systemic properties. This is a perfect example to study homoplasy at all levels of biological organization. Apart from numerous practical implementations for bioengineering and astrobiology, the diversity of gravity signaling presents unique reference paradigms to understand hierarchical homology transitions to the convergent evolution of integrative systems. Second, by comparing gravisensory systems in major superclades of basal metazoans (ctenophores, sponges, placozoans, cnidarians, and bilaterians), we illuminate parallel evolution and alternative solutions implemented by basal metazoans toward spatial orientation, focusing on gravitational sensitivity and locomotory integrative systems.

Keywords: cnidaria; ctenophora; exoskeleton; fungi; gravity; homology; placozoa; protists.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Convergent evolution of statocyst architectures in basal metazoans: Cnidaria, Ctenophora, and Placozoa. (A) The ctenophore Pleurobrachia (the image of the aboral organ is modified from Hyman, 1940); (B) The hydromedusae Aequorea (modified from Singla, 1975); (C) The placozoan, Tricholax adhaerens (modified from Mayorova et al., 2018).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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