DOI: 10.5061/dryad.bq068jr
title: Data from: Active mode of excretion across digestive tissues predates the origin of excretory organs

description: Most bilaterian animals excrete toxic metabolites through specialized
 organs, such as nephridia and kidneys, which share morphological and
 functional correspondences. In contrast, the excretory mechanisms in
 non-nephrozoans are largely unknown, and therefore the reconstruction of
 ancestral excretory mechanisms is problematic. Here, we investigated the
 excretory mode of members of the Xenacoelomorpha, the sister group to
 Nephrozoa, and Cnidaria, the sister group to Bilateria. By combining gene
 expression, inhibitor experiments and exposure to varying environmental
 ammonia conditions we show that both, Xenacoelomorpha and Cnidaria, are
 able to excrete across digestive-associated tissues. However, while the
 cnidarian Nematostella vectensis seems to use diffusion as its main
 excretory mode, the two xenacoelomorphs use both, active transport and
 diffusion mechanisms. Based on these results we propose that
 digestive-associated tissues functioned as excretory sites before the
 evolution of specialized organs in nephrozoans. We conclude that the
 emergence of a compact, multiple-layered bilaterian body plan necessitated
 the evolution of active transport mechanisms, which was later recruited
 into the specialized excretory organs.
description: Ascoparia_sp_SRX1343822Assembled transcriptome of Ascoparia sp. from SRA SRX1343822 using Trinity (https://github.com/trinityrnaseq/trinityrnaseq/wiki)Childia_submaculatum_SRX1534054Assembled transcriptome of Childia submaculatum from SRA SRX1534054 using Trinity (https://github.com/trinityrnaseq/trinityrnaseq/wiki).Convolutriloba_macropyga_SRX1343815Assembled transcriptome of Convolutriloba macropyga from SRA SRX1343815 using Trinity (https://github.com/trinityrnaseq/trinityrnaseq/wiki).Diopisthoporus_gymnopharyngeus_SRX1534055Assembled transcriptome of Diopisthoporus gymnopharyngeus from SRA SRX1534055 using Trinity (https://github.com/trinityrnaseq/trinityrnaseq/wiki).Diopisthoporus_longitubus_SRX1534056Assembled transcriptome of Diopisthoporus longitubus from SRA SRX1534056 using Trinity (https://github.com/trinityrnaseq/trinityrnaseq/wiki).Eumecynostomum_macrobursalium_SRX1534057Assembled transcriptome of Eumecynostomum macrobursalium from SRA SRX1534057 using Trinity (https://github.com/trinityrnaseq/trinityrnaseq/wiki).Hofstenia_miamia_SRX503688Assembled transcriptome of Hofstenia miamia from SRA SRX503688 using Trinity (https://github.com/trinityrnaseq/trinityrnaseq/wiki).Isodiametra_pulchra_SRX1343817Assembled transcriptome of Isodiametra pulchra from SRA SRX1343817 using Trinity (https://github.com/trinityrnaseq/trinityrnaseq/wiki).Meara_stichopi_SRX1343814Assembled transcriptome of Meara stichopi from SRA SRX1343814 using Trinity (https://github.com/trinityrnaseq/trinityrnaseq/wiki).Nemertoderma_westbladi_SRX1343819Assembled transcriptome of Nemertoderma westbladi from SRA SRX1343819 using Trinity (https://github.com/trinityrnaseq/trinityrnaseq/wiki).Sterreria_sp_SRX1343821Assembled transcriptome of Sterreria sp. from SRA SRX1343821 using Trinity (https://github.com/trinityrnaseq/trinityrnaseq/wiki).Xenoturbella_bocki_SRX1343818Assembled transcriptome of Xenoturbella bocki from SRA SRX1343818 using Trinity (https://github.com/trinityrnaseq/trinityrnaseq/wiki).Xenoturbella_profunda_SRX1280426Assembled transcriptome of Xenoturbella profunda from SRA SRX1280426 using Trinity (https://github.com/trinityrnaseq/trinityrnaseq/wiki).