Lim homeobox genes in the Ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi: the evolution of neural cell type specification

Table 1 Genomic complement of Lim homeobox genes

	Cnidaria Nematostella	Placozoa Trichoplax	Ctenophora Mnemiopsis	Porifera Amphimedon
Apterous Lhx2/9	L-L-H	L-L-H
Arrowhead Lhx6/8	L-L-H	L-L
Islet	L-L-H	L-L-H	L-L-H	L-L-H
Lhx1/5	L-L-H	L-L-H	L-L-H	L-L-H
Lhx3/4	L-L-H	L-L-H	L-L-H	L-L-H
Lmx	L-H	L-L-H	L-L-H
LMO	L-L	L-L
Ldb	LB	LB

The genomic complement of LIM homeobox genes within the four basal metazoans. Ctenophores contain a genomic complement more similar to sponges than to placozoa and cnidarians, which have the full bilaterian complement of LIM homeobox genes. No synteny is found between the LIM homeobox genes in Mnemiopsis. H, Homeobox domain; L, LIM binding domains; LB, LIM binding domain.

ISSN: 2041-9139