Gene expression and hormonal control of stolonizing syllids

Annelid worms from the family Syllidae have a remarkable reproductive strategy, which implies the transformation and regeneration of segments at the end of the adult body, to create a reproductive individual. Although molecular mechanisms underlying reproduction are relatively well studied in a few annelids the molecular toolkit involved in the stolonization process of syllids has not yet been examined. Thus, our aim in the present study is to provide a first snapshot of the gene expression patterns occurring during the stolonization process in the syllid species Syllis magdalena