Evolutionary Conservation of the Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2/4 Gene

conservation of the bone morphogenetic protein 2/4 gene between diploblastic and triploblastic metazoans. Zoological Studies 42 (1):227-234. Bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) is a multifunctional regulator during both vertebrate and invertebrate development. BMP4 and DPP (Drosophila homolog) have been shown to regu-late the dorsal-ventral patterning in both vertebrates and Drosophila. These results infer that BMP4 homologs possibly only exist in the Bilateria. In this report, we show the presence of BMP4 homologs in 4 coral species including Acropora muricata, A. digitifera, Favia favus, and Platygyra sinensis and identify the BMP2/4 gene in an actiniarian, Actina equina. All of these species belong to the Radiata and represent the basal animal group in the evolution of the metazoans. Phylogenetic analyses further suggest that the BMP2/4 gene identified in A. equina is likely the most ancient one, and that the appearance of the BMP2/4 gene is not only connected to bilateral symmetry, but may also be closely related to the evolution of the Metazoa