A recent study published in Biological Diversity reveals that ecological selection drives population differentiation and local adaptation in Capsella bursa-pastoris, a widely distributed annual herb. Genome-wide scans identified 54 candidate genes under positive selection related to energy metabolism and other processes.
A research team has identified two distinct genetic lineages corresponding to low- and high-altitude habitats in Capsella bursa-pastoris. Genome-wide scans detected 54 candidate genes under positive selection, highlighting temperature seasonality and precipitation as key drivers of adaptive divergence.
Salk Institute scientists created a high-resolution atlas showing how droughts affect plant cells. They identified a gene, Ferric Reduction Oxidase 6 (FRO6), that could be targeted to create more resilient crops. FRO6 expression in mesophyll cells partially maintained leaf growth under drought stress.
Researchers found that the plant aborts almost all fruits containing larvae, but instead allows larvae to emerge and burrow into soil, promoting a stable balance in the relationship. This 'fallen-fruit compromise' is a novel mechanism that stabilizes nursery pollination mutualism between Sambucus and kateretid beetles.
Kobe University scientists have engineered bacteria to produce a group of compounds with promising pharmacological activities. The breakthrough uses a rational design strategy to create a platform for industrial production of drug candidates.
Researchers collect snapdragon flowers and leaves to study their genetic diversity, revealing how color genes keep two varieties distinct. In hybrid zones, magenta and yellow snapdragons blend, but bees prefer one over the other, reducing fitness and offspring.
Researchers create first genetic atlas to span entire Arabidopsis life cycle, capturing gene expression patterns of 400,000 cells in multiple developmental stages. The atlas provides comprehensive insights into plant biology, enabling future studies on different cell types and developmental stages.
Researchers used computational modeling and developmental genetic techniques to study grass leaf formation, finding that current theories are likely incorrect and a 19th-century proposal is closer to the truth. The discovery sheds light on how simple growth rules can generate diverse leaf shapes.
A new angiosperm, Gansufructus saligna, has been discovered in Northwest China, providing valuable insights into the evolution of flowering plants. The fossil specimens show characteristics of a small, terrestrial herbaceous eudicot with paniculate infructescences.
A previously believed pathway for sRNA production has been found to be present widely in flowering plants, evolved over 200 million years ago. This discovery could improve crop yields and breeding better varieties.
A 99-million-year-old flower fossil discovered in Burmese amber sheds light on the sudden appearance of angiosperms. The find indicates that Core Eudicots, a group including apple and cherry trees, flourished on Earth around 100 million years ago.
A 115- to 125-million-year-old flowering plant fossil, named Potomacapnos apeleutheron, has been discovered in a Virginia canal bank where freed slaves were forced to dig a canal. The find raises questions about the evolution of flowering plants and pollen.
The 125 million-year-old fossil find suggests an earlier origin for eudicots and flowering plants. The newly discovered species, Leefructus mirus, exhibits characteristics similar to those of modern buttercups and Ranunculaceae family members.