Scientists have discovered that certain primitive plants maintained nearly unchanged genetics for over 350 million years, challenging our understanding of plant evolution.
Why it matters: This finding provides an unprecedented window into plant evolutionary history and genetic stability. Understanding how these plants preserved their genetic makeup could reveal new insights into genome evolution and conservation.
- Lycophytes represent one of Earth’s oldest land plant lineages, predating even the dinosaurs.
Key finding: About 30% of genes in studied lycophyte species remained in the same arrangement since their divergence 350 million years ago.
“The exceptionally slow pace of genomic evolution sets these plants apart.”
Dr. Fay-Wei Li, professor at the Boyce Thompson Institute
The process:
- Researchers sequenced genomes of two lycophyte species
- Compared genetic arrangements across 350 million years of evolution
- Analyzed retention patterns of duplicated genes
Keep in mind: Most plants typically lose or modify duplicated genes quickly after genome duplication events, making lycophytes’ genetic stability highly unusual.
Real-world impact: This discovery could inform genetic engineering and crop improvement strategies.
- May provide insights into mechanisms of genetic stability
- Highlights the importance of biodiversity conservation
- Could lead to a new understanding of how plants adapt and evolve
TL;DR
- Ancient plant group maintained unchanged genetics for 350 million years, defying evolutionary norms.
- Discovery challenges current understanding of how plant genomes evolve and reorganize.
- Findings could revolutionize approaches to crop genetics and plant conservation efforts.
Read the Paper
Extraordinary preservation of gene collinearity over three hundred million years revealed in homosporous lycophytes