Manuel Irimia @mirimiam.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Exon-level orthology revealed a second striking surprise. Most neural-specific exons lacking direct conservation were not unique events: neural exons repeatedly evolved in the same ancestral genes across distant bilaterian lineages. 9/11 100
Manuel Irimia @mirimiam.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Finally, we asked whether this recurrent evolution was functionally relevant. We deleted two recurrent neural microexons in Drosophila: loss of the spg exon impaired climbing and strongly reduced lifespan, while loss of the syd exon caused age-dependent hyperactivity and reduced offspring. 10/11 100
Manuel Irimia @mirimiam.bsky.social · 05/10/2026In summary, TS-AS and TS-GE are not simply interchangeable routes to tissue specialization. Instead, they occupy distinct but complementary evolutionary niches, with recurrent neural exon evolution emerging as an important contributor to nervous-system diversification. 11/11 100
