BISC 316 Vertebrate Biology

Lecture 3
Lecture Outline

BC early fish fossils

Origins of the first vertebrates
Characteristics of Cephalochordata
Characteristics of Urochordata
[Link]
[Link]

Origins of Vertebrata
540 MYA

An early chordate - _________ Pikaia

___________,
Burgess shale Yoho National
Park, B.C.
________________________
Pikaia was once to be a possible ancestor to the vertebrates

__________________________ Dr. J-B. Caron

______________________ Pikaia
Origin of Vertebrates
no fossils of ________________
intermediates forms between ________
earlier
groups (first known ______________
chordates - _______________
cathaymyrus

and ___________)
Pikaia and the first known ________________
vertebrates

comparative anatomy, embryology, molecular

subphyla ______________
Cephalochordata and ____________
Urochordata

are our ________________________________

closest invertebrate relatives

= ____________________________________
common ancestor

since we seem to be close related to them it results on the hypothesis and later proven
theory that we share a common ancestor with them.
Recent Fossil Finds - Cephalochordate
fossil discovered in Yunnan Province, China
Cathaymyrus diadexus
________
10 million years older than Pikaia
___________________________
Pharyngeal gill slits- suck in water and in take oxygen

___________________________
notochord - gives it strength and stability in the body

___________________________
myomere muscle blocks - repetition in muscles/ seen in vertebrates today

◆ Chen (2011) suggests might be a

____________________
Yunnamozoan - they are related to vertebrates but they are not vertebrates

~ ___________________________
Haikouella, Haikoichtys Ichthys - meaning fish in Latin

“perhaps ______________”
vertebrates

◆ Hou et al (2017) – “____________ chordates of unknown

_____________________________”
affinity

◆ Tian et al (2022)
_________________________
Yunnanozoans are vertebrates - earliest branching class of
[Link]
 ba- branchial branch

vertebrata
V= Vertebrata

The cross represents

extinction

crown vertebrates

Tian et al (2022) Science

Cathaymyrus diadexus

Nobu Tamura
 First Known Vertebrates

_________________
530 million years old fossils of the first fish

___________________
Myllokunmingia (1)
and Haikouichthys (2)
__________________
Pushed the origin of vertebrates back by 40

__________________ ___.
million years Shu et al 1999 Nature
Characteristics
of first
known fish
______________
3 cm Long

________________________________________
Cranium
[Link]

________________________________________
W shaped Myomers

________________________________________
Jawless - but they had a mouth

________________________________________
No mineralized scales

________________________________________
Dorsal Fin and ribbon like pair of ventrolateral projection

________________________________________
cartilaginous gill support
 Incredible BC Fossils
[Link]

Watch The Nature of Things episode ‘The First Animals’ about the Burgess Shale featuring Jean Bernard Caron’s
research on Metaspriggina
[Link]
 Nature 2014
Incredible BC Fossils
Metaspriggina
Marble Canyon, Kootenay National Park
__________________________________
over 100 specimen

Vertebrate features
_____________________
notochord

_____________________
W - shaped myomeres

_____________________
Post anal tail - support structure for swimin

_____________________
eyes with camera type lens - to create a better

_______________________
instrument for focusing

_____________________
Paired nasal sacs

_____________________
gills with support plus a slighltly larger anterior

____________________
arch with no gill tissue - could later be the
reason for the formationthe jaw

__________________
 Subphylum Cephalochordata
Phylum Chordata

Subphylum Subphylum Subphylum

Cephalochordata Urochordata Vertebrata
lancelets tunicates,
Branchiostoma, seasquirts
Amphioxus
Cephalochordata
Example - Amphioxus = Branchiostoma
_________________________________
<5cm long, fish like form

Pough et al 2023

_____________________________________
 [Link]

Characteristics of Amphioxus
No Paired Fins
_____________________
simms by wiggling its body back and forth

_____________________
burried in the mud

Notochord
____________________
it is in the ... region

______________________
It has a dorsal fin

______________________
____________________
it does not have a cranium/ no structural support in its head

Major Blood Vessels

_____________________________________
no major blood vessels or reporatory pigments - no red or white blood cells/ nop hemoglobin

_____________________________________
no heart - but vessels that contract

______________________________
half a heart, [Link]
Characteristics of Amphioxus
Digestive Tract
___________________
buccal cirri - opening to the digestive track

___________________
cirri help with picking up food

____________________
The pharynx sucks in water and food in to the mouth

___________________
____________________
simple one way tube - due to its easy to digest food and uptake

___________________
nutrients
Pough et al 3rd Edition

Pharyngeal Slits epipharyngeal food - takes oxygen

out of the water as they bring water
and food into the body.

______________________
help for respiration -
Two important differences between
Cephalochordata and Vertebrata

method of excretion is___________ flame cells

flatworms, annelids and molluscs

lacks strong __________________

cephilization
Valderde-Islas et al (2011) PLOS One

few _______________________ with head

sensory organs associated
 Subphylum Urochordata

Phylum Chordata

Subphylum Subphylum Subphylum

Cephalochordata Urochordata Vertebrata
lancelets tunicates,
Branchiostoma, seasquirts
Amphioxus
 Subphylum Urochordata (seasquirts)
adult - __________
_________________
pharynx is enlarged set of internal gill

_________________
_______________
inhalnalt and exhalant siphons

_________________
_______
2000 livng species -
except from 100 that are
free swimming
Pough et al 2023

are all attached to the

bottom

[Link]
Subphylum Urochordata (tunicates)

larva ___________
pharengeal slits and

_______________
post anal tail for swimming

_______________
dorsal hollow nerve cord

_________________ Pough et al 2023

______________________________
Notochord

________
Inlet and Outlet siphons

________
all free swimming

___________
Pough et al 2023
Evolution of Vertebrates

Molecular evidence
______________________________________
chordata is the sister group to vertebrata

_____________________________________

Cephalochordata ____________________________ is closer to echinoderms

 [Link]

Sam Hinton
Folk singer and marine
biologist

Song Written by Philip

H. Pope (later of
Whitman College) in
1921
[Link]
Holland, Holland and Holland 2015 Nature

2020 29
61 28 107 115
6,8 27 37
78 119
65 81 100 35
103
2000 64
80 114 124
90 34
5 7
How did the first vertebrate evolve?

57 74 77
95
1980 89
63 99
106 113
94
88
70 105
73 86 87 93 98
1960
68, 69
1940 112
104
72 79 4
67 123
71 92
102
1920 60
97
3
59 91
Many groups were proposed as the ancestral group they started atearly animal groups with 2 or more cell layers

56 85
111
1900 20, 21 118
110 122
62 84 101 33
19 117 121
108,109 116
Jellyfish/sea anemones/ polyps

76
18 96 120
83 15–17 32
1880 55 75
Deuterostomes/acornworms

58 14
11, 12
66
Rotifers, nematodes,…
Annelids and molluscs

Segmented worms

82
1860
Horseshoe worms
ribbonworms
Arrow worms
Comb jellies

flatworms

acornworms
Am phioxus
Trochophore

Ctenophore

Pseudocoelomate

Nem ertine

Tunicate
Gastrula

Tornaria

Protozoa

Cnidaria

Mollusc
Tunicate (larval)

Calcichordata)
Chaetognath

Platyhelm inth

Enteropneust
Arthropod

Annelid

Phoronid

Echinoderm
Dipleurula/

(including
Larval theories Adult theories
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________

deuterostomes. The resulting relocation of annelids and arthropods at a xenacoelomorphs, although the deute
considerable phylogenetic distance from the vertebrates (Fig. 2a) weak- yet been firmly established30,31. Continu
ened the idea of a complex urbilaterian and shifted opinion towards a and vertebrates could bestrengthene
simple urbilaterian, which was imagined to be rather like an acoel flat- basal deuterostomeswereknown. Alth
worm that independently gaveriseto annelidsand vertebrateswith their proposed as ancestral deuterostomes
complex, but only superficially similar, body plans. their taxonomic affinitiesremain high
In the1990s, advancesin developmental genetics— again with arthro-
podsleading theway — set thestagefor therevival of theannelid theory. The enteropneust theory
The fly dpp gene was found to be expressed dorsally and to have dorsal- The second long-range scenario of v
izing activity, whereas the homologous frog bmp4 was expressed ven- active study is the enteropneust theor
trally and found to have ventralizing activity22. Arendt and Nübler-Jung characterized by threebody regions(p
interpreted thispattern assupport for homology between arthropod and to the Hemichordata, a phylum tha
1860's starting with anthropoids,

vertebrate nerve cords and indicativeof a dorsoventral inversion of the branchs(Fig. 3e), which comprisea fl
body during the invertebrate-to-vertebrate transition23. The proposed to the enteropneust proboscis, a colla
nerve-cord homology wasstrengthened by thediscovery that thefly sog arms and a trunk. According to the
gene was expressed ventrally and had ventralizing activity, whereas the proposed by Bateson in 1886, the bo
homologous frog chordin gene was expressed dorsally and had dorsal- inverted relativeto that of vertebrates.
izing activity. In addition, sog/chordin and dpp/bmp4 antagonized one corresponded to a vertebrate notocho
another to establish adorsoventral axisthat wasreversed between fliesand sidered dorsal) corresponded to theve
frogs24. Additional support camefrom thefinding that neural progenitor gill slits in both groups were homolo
cellsin thecentral nervoussystem (CNS) wereorganized in longitudinal much likea vertebrateexcept that it lac
bandseach characterized by adistinctivesuiteof geneexpression that was theanterior–posterior axis. At thetim

[Link]
homologous between flies and vertebrates, and that gene expression in deeper evolutionary sourceof theente
thesebandswascomparable mediolaterally in both organisms25. suggested that they might have evolv
The developmental genetic comparison between arthropods and cates. However, at thecloseof thenine
vertebrates22–25, reinforced by details from neurochemistry and neural posed what seemed to beafirmer conn
circuitry, favoured therevival of theinverted annelid theory. Direct com- therest of theanimal kingdom throug
parisons between annelids and vertebrates also revealed commonalities pterobranchs(already mentioned) an
in anterior–posterior regionalization by Hox genes26, genetic specifica- live mostly buried, but extend their te
tion of several kinds of nervecells27,28 and the formation of notochord- Through much of thetwentieth cent
like structures29. As already mentioned, the revived annelid scenario not universally accepted, persisted. T
 Northcutt (2005)

How did the first vertebrate evolve?

Older theory
(Garstang’s
Hypothesis)
__________________
suggested that ancestral group were desimentrat sessile organisms

__________________
then the organisms become sexually amture in

__________________
its larvae stage and went to onvolve into vertebrates

__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
Ancestors had _______
___________________
How did the first vertebrate evolve? Kardong 2017

_____________________
_______________________
Last Common Ancestor
(LCA) of Chordata
______________________
free swimming

______________________
elongated tail

_____________________
______________________
Cephalochordata
Urochordata
Vertebrata ______________
_________________________
______________________
 gastrula blastula

[Link]
[Link]

Lowe et al 2015
Amphioxus (A) and lampreys (B) _____________
________________________________________
Bioessays. 2001 Feb 23(2):142-51
Why are vertebrates much more complex?

Bioessays. 2001 Feb 23(2):142-51

 Hox genes
master regulators of _______________________ development

highly conserved through ___________________

expressed in _____________________________ the anterior and posterior

critical in ________________________________
___________

developmental regulators

critical to anterior and posterio organization

of an organism

the number increases as the body becoems more complex

[Link]
 __________ have Flatworm
all animals

Homeobox genes Earthworm

______________ Velvet worm
the more complex the organism and their body

________________ Crustacean
the homeobox genes they require

________________ Centipede
in order to properly segment their body

_________________Fruit fly
_______________
they are in clusters

_______________Amphioxus
______________ Mouse
_______________
plants have homeobox genes but not in a cluster

_______________Zebrafish
in their DNA.

_______________
_______________
[Link]
 Invertebrate to Vertebrate
May be linked to the _______________________ entire thing being duplicated. But there was a loss of genes

________________________________________

[Link]

________________________________________
if there is a mutation in one of them it does not effect the surviaviability of that indiividual beacsue the other gene is still funtioning

________________________________________
mutation is one copy does not necessarily lead to determents it may also lead to other outcomes

New germ layer ___________________________

________________________________________
neural crest may also be involved. many important characterizes of vertebrates come from the neural crest

________________________________________
neural crest involved int he difference between the two groups

the evolution from one to the other form a mutation that allows the hox genes comples to do this duplications
 Simakov et al 2020 Nature Ecology and Evol

- first duplication occurred in

____________
the mid to late combrian (550-600 mya) by
doubling of the genome
- second duplication occurred in
______________(490-510 mya)
by ___________
interpspecific hybridization
and is found only in the
___________
Jaw vertebrates
- after each duplication there were
__________________
loss of genes and
______________
rearrangement in some groups

- .

- third duplication occurred in the

_____________
in the teleosts (450—460 mya)
- _________________
salmonoids have a
fourth duplication
 Fig. 3. Evolutionary history of the 129
chordate-specific families of miRNAs found in
eutherian mammals

_______________________
micro RNAs

_______________________
evolved in gene regulation

>_____50 miRNA families

evolved in _____________ vertebrates

many associated with

vertebrate specific tissues
_______________________
liver puncreas pronephrons

or structures that are much

more ___________
complex in
vertebrates (__________)
brain

Heimberg, Alysha M. et al. (2008) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.

USA 105, 2946-2950
rate of morphological change
Copyright ©2008 by the National Academy of Sciences
miRNA family acquisition rate
 Methylation and Vertebrate Evolution

Xu et al (2019) Molecular Biology & Genetics TSS= Transcription Start Site

Methylation levels are low in _______________________

non vertebrates

“DNA methylation directly involved in ____________________

gene expression through impacts
on promoter or enhancer accessibility” Glaich et al (2019) Nature
Communications
Hypermethylation of ________________
promoters results in __________________
gene silencing

Methylation _______________________
mitochondral RNA regions than in _____________
gene coding regions
Needed ________________
more complex ways of regulating ___________________ when
genomes were larger
Loggerhead
Turtle
Embryo

Photograph: Deby McIntosh