Figure 6

Figure 6 — Evolutionary acquisition of developmental toolkit genes. Most messenger RNAs (protein-coding genes) evolved in the common ancestor of cnidarians and bilaterians, but the set of microRNAs had massive increases at the base of bilaterians and again in vertebrates, indicating significant leaps in developmental complexity in those groups. Source: Erwin et al. 2011.

Figure 6 — Evolutionary acquisition of developmental toolkit genes. Most messenger RNAs (protein-coding genes) evolved in the common ancestor of cnidarians and bilaterians, but the set of microRNAs had massive increases at the base of bilaterians and again in vertebrates, indicating significant leaps in developmental complexity in those groups. Source: Erwin et al. 2011.