Brain Sponge is 70% Human

The resemblance of the human brain is startling.
Two hemispheres, folding texture and coming to a root as we have the brainstem.
Found in South Australia this sponge is yet to have its genome sequenced unlike the Great Barrier Reef inhabitant published in Nature International weekly journal of science.

'The Amphimedon queenslandica genome and the evolution of animal complexity' 33 scientists including Queensland University's Bernard Degnan discuss their discoveries and implications of the genes we share with this early life form. 

"Sponges are an ancient group of animals that diverged from other metazoans over 600 million years ago. Here we present the draft genome sequence ofAmphimedon queenslandica, a demosponge from the Great Barrier Reef, and show that it is remarkably similar to other animal genomes in content, structure and organization. Comparative analysis enabled by the sequencing of the sponge genome reveals genomic events linked to the origin and early evolution of animals, including the appearance, expansion and diversification of pan-metazoan transcription factor, signalling pathway and structural genes. This diverse ‘toolkit’ of genes correlates with critical aspects of all metazoan body plans, and comprises cell cycle control and growth, development, somatic- and germ-cell specification, cell adhesion, innate immunity and allorecognition. Notably, many of the genes associated with the emergence of animals are also implicated in cancer, which arises from defects in basic processes associated with metazoan multicellularity."

-Nature

 

466,

 

720–726

 

(05 August 2010)

doi:10.1038/nature09201

 Received

 

31 December 2009

 

Accepted

 

24 May 2010

 nature.com


Lucky our sponges have a walking fishbowl to do our bidding, yet we continue to expand our 'body' with cars and soon robotic exo-skeleton suits...
Did Morpheus say "Your body is a vessel"?