Progressive loss of function in a limb enhancer during snake evolution

The evolution of body shape is thought to be tightly coupled to changes in regulatory sequences, but specific molecular events associated with major morphological transitions in vertebrates have remained elusive. We identified snake-specific sequence changes within an otherwise highly conserved long-range limb enhancer of Sonic hedgehog (Shh). Transgenic mouse reporter assays revealed that the in vivo activity pattern of the enhancer is conserved across a wide range of vertebrates, including fish, but not in snakes. Genomic substitution of the mouse enhancer with its human or fish ortholog results in normal limb development. In contrast, replacement with snake orthologs caused severe limb reduction. Synthetic restoration of a single transcription factor binding site lost in the snake lineage reinstated full in vivo function to the snake enhancer. Our results demonstrate changes in a regulatory sequence associated with a major body plan transition and highlight the role of enhancers in morphological evolution

The 1st EMBO workshop on PVC bacteria--Planctomycetes-Verrucomicrobia-Chlamydiae superphylum: exceptions to the bacterial definition?

The PVC superphylum is a phylogenetically supported collection of various related bacterial phyla that comprise unusual characteristics and traits. The 'PVC' abbreviation derives from Planctomycetes, Verrucomicrobia and Chlamydiae as members of this superphylum, while additional bacterial phyla are related. There has recently been increasing and exciting interest in the cell biology, physiology and ecology of members of this superphylum, including evolutionary implications of the complex cell organization of some species. It is timely that international researchers in the PVC superphylum field met to discuss these developments. The first meeting entirely dedicated to those bacteria, the EMBO workshop "PVC superphylum: Exceptions to the bacterial definition" was held at the Heidelberg University to catalyze the formation of a vital scientific community supporting PVC-bacterial research. More than 45 investigators from more than 20 countries (PIs, senior scientists and students) attended the meeting and produced a great starting point for future collaborative research. This Special Issue will focus on the EMBO-PVC meeting. This Perspective briefly summarizes the history of PVC-research, focusing on the key findings and provides a brief summary of the meeting with a focus on the major questions that arose during discussion and that might influence the research in the years to come

The PVC superphylum: exceptions to the bacterial definition?

The PVC superphylum is a grouping of distinct phyla of the domain bacteria proposed initially on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. It consists of a core of phyla Planctomycetes, Verrucomicrobia and Chlamydiae, but several other phyla have been considered to be members, including phylum Lentisphaerae and several other phyla consisting only of yet-to-be cultured members. The genomics-based links between Planctomycetes, Verrucomicrobia and Chlamydiae have been recently strengthened, but there appear to be other features which may confirm the relationship at least of Planctomycetes, Verrucomicrobia and Lentisphaerae. Remarkably these include the unique planctomycetal compartmentalized cell plan differing from the cell organization typical for bacteria. Such a shared cell plan suggests that the common ancestor of the PVC superphylum members may also have been compartmentalized, suggesting this is an evolutionarily homologous feature at least within the superphylum. Both the PVC endomembranes and the eukaryote-homologous membrane-coating MC proteins linked to endocytosis ability in Gemmata obscuriglobus and shared by PVC members suggest such homology may extend beyond the bacteria to the Eukarya. If so, either our definition of bacteria may have to change or PVC members admitted to be exceptions. The cases for and against considering the PVC superphylum members as exceptions to the bacteria are discussed, and arguments for them as exceptions presented. Recent critical analysis has favoured convergence and analogy for explaining eukaryote-like features in planctomycetes and other PVC organisms. The case is made for constructing hypotheses leaving the possibility of homology and evolutionary links to eukaryote features open. As the case of discovery of endocytosis-like protein uptake in planctomycetes has suggested, this may prove a strong basis for the immediate future of experimental research programs in the PVC scientific community