In the mitochondrial genome of the hemichordate Balanoglossus carnosus, the codon AAA, which is assigned to lysine in most metazoans but to asparagine in echinoderms, is absent. Furthermore, the lysine tRNA gene carries an anticodon substitution that renders its gene product unable to decode AAA codons, whereas the asparagine tRNA gene has not changed to encode a tRNA with the ability to recogn...

Calcium signaling in cells directs diverse physiological processes. The calcium waves triggered by fertilization is a highly conserved calcium signaling event essential for egg activation, and has been documented in every egg tested. This activity is one of the few highly conserved events of egg activation through the course of evolution. Echinoderm eggs, as well as many other cell types, have ...

The results of a limited number of studies on echinoderms provide evidence for the presence of a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase system in representatives of three classes of the phylum Echinodermata: the asteroids (sea stars), holothuroids (sea cucumbers) and echinoids (sea urchins). The monooxygenase system has been demonstrated to be involved in the metabolism of xenobiotic compounds, but is a...

Abstract Evidence from the earliest-known crinoids (Tremadocian, Early Ordovician), called protocrinoids, is used to hypothesize initial steps by which elements of calyx evolved. Protocrinoid calyces are composed extraxial primary and surrounding secondary plates (both have epispires along their sutures) that unlike those more crownward fossil extant in equivalent calycinal plating strongly org...