Study Traces Long-Distance Gene Control to 650 Million Years Ago

Fast Summary

• Distal regulation (gene control over long DNA distances) originated 650-700 million years ago, about 150 million years earlier than previously thought.
• This mechanism folds DNA into loops, connecting distant regions to control genes and aid multicellular organism development.
• The innovation likely emerged in the common ancestor of all animals during the Cryogenian period (~700 million years ago).
• Researchers studied genomes of early animal branches (comb jellies, placozoans, cnidarians, sponges), finding extensive chromatin loops in comb jellies like Mnemiopsis leidyi.
• Single-celled ancestors lacked distal regulation mechanisms; however, early multicellular animals had thousands of these regulatory loops genome-wide.
• Findings challenge prior assumptions that distal regulation evolved only ~500 million years ago during bilaterian evolution.

Images:

1. Illustration of a DNA molecule

!13322-Mnemiopsis-leidyi.jpg”>Mnemiopsis

Indian Opinion Analysis

The revelation of distal gene regulation’s ancient origins adds new depth to evolutionary biology and provides insights into how complex life unfolded on Earth. The timeline adjustment underscores nature’s efficiency in adapting existing genetic tools rather than creating new ones-a principle applicable across disciplines from genetics to innovation frameworks.

For India, as genomic research advances globally, this could motivate greater investment into decoding ancestral patterns tied to human health or biodiversity projects. Leveraging such data might deepen India’s engagement with global scientific breakthroughs while enhancing local capabilities in biotech and medicine industries.

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