photo: Capitella sp. I, by Elaine Seaver
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Capitella sp. I is a polychaete worm and a representative member of the phylum Annelida, also known as the segmented worms. Polychaete annelids are members of the superphylum Lophotrochozoa, and Capitella sp. I is among the first lophotrophozoans to have its genome sequenced. Capitella sp. I is a small benthic marine worm with a cosmopolitan distribution. It shares many features characteristic for annelids including a segmented body plan, a centralized nervous system, continued adult growth by addition of segments from a posterior growth zone, regenerative abilities, a holoblastic spiral cleavage program, and an indirect life cycle. Capitella is currently being developed as a model for developmental studies and is one of the major protostome bio-indicators of disturbed marine habitats. As a representative lophotrochozoan, embryological and molecular genetic studies of Capitella will be pivotal for understanding evolution of a speciose and ecologically important, but understudied group of bilaterian animals. The Capitella genome sequence complements current developmental and environmental research programs and will provide opportunities to understand genome evolution and its role in body plan and life history evolution in the Metazoa.
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DOE Joint Genome Institute © 2008 |
