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The evolutionary development of plant body plans
Karl J Niklas1, Ulrich Kutschera2
1Department of Plant Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Functional Plant Biology : FPB
|July 22, 2020
Summary
Regulatory mechanisms in embryogenesis are conserved across plant and animal evolution. Gene transfers, duplication, and network co-option drove plant lineage divergence.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary developmental biology
- Plant biology
- Genomics
Background:
- Body plans in major plant and animal clades are remarkably conserved over evolutionary time.
- The evolution of similar body plans in divergent lineages raises questions about adaptive convergence versus conserved developmental processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review plant body plans and discuss conserved developmental/physiological regulatory mechanisms.
- To examine evidence for the ancient origins of these regulatory mechanisms in plants.
Main Methods:
- Review of evolutionary developmental biology principles.
- Analysis of cladistic data.
- Paleontological insights.
- Examination of plant developmental and physiological regulatory mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Regulatory mechanisms in embryogenesis and early maturation show high conservation across evolutionary timescales.
- Evidence suggests some plant regulatory mechanisms are phyletically ancient.
Conclusions:
- Endosymbiotic lateral gene transfers were crucial for plant lineage divergence.
- Gene duplication and functional divergence played a key role in plant evolution.
- Co-option of ancient gene networks facilitated the evolutionary divergence of plant lineages.
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