During CHAETA the larval development of Osedax was studied in great detail. This allowed establishing a standardized morphological staging system. Coupled with the large rna-seq experiment conducted as part of CHAETA, an invaluable morphological and genetic resource was generated. This not only allows investigating chaetal formation but also opens novel research avenues in the study of Osedax. For instance, CHAETA now makes it feasible to investigate still open questions on paedomorphism of dwarf males and sex determination in Osedax.
The morphological and molecular characterization of chaetogenesis in Osedax will be published in a single publication. This study is pioneering, and will allow establishing marker genes expressed within distinct regions of the chaetal follicles (i.e. chaetoblast, follicle cells). These details are key and fundamental for understanding the molecular machinery behind chaetal formation and will allow comparative studies among other annelids and possibly other Lophotrochozoa with chaetae-like structures.
In addition to investigating chaetogenesis in Osedax. CHAETA also established the necessary morphological foundation for the experimental study of annelid chaetogenesis by focusing on existing annelid model systems. Larval chaetae of Capitella teleta and their distinct morphological differences to adult chaetae will be illustrated in a separate publication. This is necessary for future experimental and molecular work that can be conducted using the C. teleta model system. Similarly, a highly detailed study on the chaetae and chaetogenesis of Platynereis dumerilii was published. P. dumerilli is another well-established annelid model system in developmental biology. This study describes the inter- and intracellular interactions within the chaetal follicles, the chaetal topology and arrangement in both adult and larval P. dumerilii.
