Scientists found the first branch on the tree of life

That’s what you will find out after reading this story:

Scientists found out which animal was the first to leave our collective general ancestor.
For many years, discussions have rampant about whether the first deviated from the sea sponge or the comb jelly.
Thanks to new chromosome analysis methods, we finally have the answer.

All animals on Earth have a common ancestor. Track the story of any being from people to slugs, and you can eventually follow all the tree branches back into its trunk.

But that boot had to branch out at some point, or we would not have all the animals today. And that first division for scientists was a bit impossible because it took place about 600 million years ago.

Still, we know a few things. It is we who know that the first divorce caused two creatures – almost all animals’ ancestors and a “sister” for the ancestor. That sister is just one of the ancestors of today’s animal group.

For decades, scientists discussed which animal group traced their line to literally the “sister” of all other animals. They had two contenders for a long time – marine sponges and comb. And now, thanks to the new methods that allow researchers to analyze the chromosomes of this being, scientists believe they finally have the answer.

The key to this technique was not only what genes every animal had, but where those genes were on creature chromosomes. As the creatures develop, chromosomes will transform, and the genes will move over time. But when they move, it is almost impossible for them to return to their original positions.

Thus, in essence, the animal showed that the chromosomes contain the least re -aged genes, and first of all had to develop into existence. As we know, we have only the first two options of division – the Susles or Comb Jellies – what the option is the least excited is the sister. First, the first division evolved.

In order to find out, the team compared the sponges of certain gene groups and the comb gel areas with the arrangements of the same groups in the nearest one cell non -animals. Those relatives of one cell would have been closely related to the “trunk” body and preserved the evidence of how that original genome would look. The closer the body is that genome, the less it has changed and the more likely it is that it will be a sister.

Researchers found 14 gene groups in separate chromosomes in both animals and in the hairstyles. However, sponge researchers found that those 14 groups were transformed into 7 groups, indicating that they were later distinguished from the original genome than the comb.

Which means we have a winner! For all other animals, the sister, the first branching, and the genetically insulated animal is… the drum please … comb jelly!

In addition to serving as an answer to a long -recorded biological question, scientists are happy to investigate what this new knowledge can tell us about the history of animal evolution and mechanisms that promote that evolution. The search for answers goes on, but at least now we have another in our pockets.

Photo credit: Hearst manages

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