A topological look into the evolution of developmental programs
Somya Mani, Tsvi Tlusty

TL;DR
This paper introduces a topological framework for understanding the evolution of developmental programs in multicellular organisms, revealing that complex lineages are often directed acyclic graphs and linking topology to regenerative capacity.
Contribution
It presents a generative model that connects lineage map topology with developmental evolution and organism functionality, challenging the notion of tree-like developmental trajectories.
Findings
Lineage maps of complex organisms are likely DAGs, not trees.
Topological features correlate with regenerative ability.
Model surveys all possible developmental programs.
Abstract
Rapid advance of experimental techniques provides an unprecedented in-depth view into complex developmental processes. Still, little is known on how the complexity of multicellular organisms evolved by elaborating developmental programs and inventing new cell types. A hurdle to understanding developmental evolution is the difficulty of even describing the intertwined network of spatiotemporal processes underlying the development of complex multicellular organisms. Nonetheless, an overview of developmental trajectories can be obtained from cell type lineage maps. Here, we propose that these lineage maps can also reveal how developmental programs evolve: the modes of evolving new cell types in an organism should be visible in its developmental trajectories, and therefore in the geometry of its cell type lineage map. This idea is demonstrated using a parsimonious generative model of…
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