Why study choanoflagellates?

From ChoanoWiki

• Closest known sister group to animals
  • Help understand animal origins e.g.
    • Signaling and adhesion genes
    • Cell co-ordination and co-operation in animal development
  • Help understand origins of animal-specific cell biology e.g.
    • Apoptosis
    • Secretory Apparatus
• Importance in Carbon cycle
• Model for Biomineralization (silica)
• Model for Evolution of assembly of complex structures (Loricae)