Cephalopods like octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish are highly intelligent animals with complex nervous systems. A team of researchers has now shown that their evolution is linked to a dramatic expansion of their microRNA repertoire. If we go far enough back in evolutionary history, we encounter t
Octopuses have complex “camera” eyes, as seen here in a juvenile animal. Credit: Nir Friedman
Scientists have long wondered why such a complex nervous system was only able to develop in these mollusks. Now, an international team led by researchers from the Max Delbrück Center and Dartmouth College in the United States has put forth a possible reason. In a paper published in the journal, they explain that octopuses possess a massively expanded repertoire of microRNAs in their neural tissue – reflecting similar developments that occurred in vertebrates.
The results of this analyses were surprising: “There was indeed a lot of RNA editing going on, but not in areas that we believe to be of interest,” says Rajewsky. The most interesting discovery was in fact the dramatic expansion of a well-known group of RNA genes, microRNAs. A total of 42 novel miRNA families were found – specifically in neural tissue and mostly in the brain.
Rajewsky’s fascination with octopuses began years ago, during an evening visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. “I saw this creature sitting on the bottom of the tank and we spent several minutes – so I thought – looking at each other.” He says that looking at an octopus is very different to looking at a fish: “It’s not very scientific, but their eyes do exude a sense of intelligence.” Octopuses have similarly complex “camera” eyes to humans.
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