Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Plant Breeding and Biotechnology01:59

Plant Breeding and Biotechnology

19.7K
Crop cultivation has a long history in human civilization, with records showing the cultivation of cereal plants beginning at around 8000 BC. This early plant breeding was developed primarily to provide a steady supply of food.
19.7K
Monohybrid Crosses01:20

Monohybrid Crosses

231.0K
Overview
231.0K
Dihybrid Crosses01:18

Dihybrid Crosses

75.7K
Overview
75.7K
Convergent Evolution01:54

Convergent Evolution

28.9K
Evolution shapes the features of organisms over time, ensuring that they are suited for the environments in which they live. Sometimes, selection pressure leads to the rise of similar but unrelated adaptations in organisms with no recent common ancestors, a process known as convergent evolution.
28.9K
Trihybrid Crosses02:27

Trihybrid Crosses

23.7K
Trihybrid Crosses
Some of Mendel’s crosses examined three pairs of contrasting characteristics. Such a cross is called a trihybrid cross. A trihybrid cross is a combination of three individual monohybrid crosses. For example, plant height (tall vs. short), seed shape (round vs. wrinkled), and seed color (yellow vs. green).
The F1 generation plants of a trihybrid cross are heterozygous for all three traits and produce eight gametes. Upon self-fertilization, these gametes have an equal...
23.7K
Plant Tissue Culture02:57

Plant Tissue Culture

38.4K
Plant tissue culture is widely used in both primary and applied science. Applications range from plant development studies to functional gene studies, crop improvement, commercial micropropagation, virus elimination, and conservation of rare species.
38.4K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

New Insights into Genomic Variations and Mutational Events Associated with Plant-Pathogen Interactions.

Annual review of phytopathology·2026
Same author

Fishing for a reelGene: evaluating gene models with evolution and machine learning.

The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology·2025
Same author

Genetic variation at transcription factor binding sites largely explains phenotypic heritability in maize.

Nature genetics·2025
Same author

Author Correction: MaizeCODE reveals bi-directionally expressed enhancers that harbor molecular signatures of maize domestication.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

Designing a nitrogen-efficient cold-tolerant maize for modern agricultural systems.

The Plant cell·2025
Same author

Environmental data provide marginal benefit for predicting climate adaptation.

PLoS genetics·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 7, 2025

Agrobacterium-Mediated Immature Embryo Transformation of Recalcitrant Maize Inbred Lines Using Morphogenic Genes
10:28

Agrobacterium-Mediated Immature Embryo Transformation of Recalcitrant Maize Inbred Lines Using Morphogenic Genes

Published on: February 14, 2020

23.7K

Convergent domestication: Finding the genes that make crops.

Heather N Chamberlain-Irwin1, Matthew B Hufford1

  • 1Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.

Current Biology : CB
|June 21, 2022
PubMed
Summary

Convergent selection of WD40 protein genes in maize and rice during domestication boosts crop yield. Knocking out these genes improves harvest without affecting other traits, guiding agricultural improvement.

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Streamlining Rice Breeding with CRISPR/Cas for Obtaining Optimal Phenotypic and Agronomic Traits
09:43

Author Spotlight: Streamlining Rice Breeding with CRISPR/Cas for Obtaining Optimal Phenotypic and Agronomic Traits

Published on: January 3, 2025

2.6K
CcCIPK14 Gene Function Analysis to Illuminate the Efficient Root Transgenic System
07:00

CcCIPK14 Gene Function Analysis to Illuminate the Efficient Root Transgenic System

Published on: September 23, 2021

2.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 7, 2025

Agrobacterium-Mediated Immature Embryo Transformation of Recalcitrant Maize Inbred Lines Using Morphogenic Genes
10:28

Agrobacterium-Mediated Immature Embryo Transformation of Recalcitrant Maize Inbred Lines Using Morphogenic Genes

Published on: February 14, 2020

23.7K
Author Spotlight: Streamlining Rice Breeding with CRISPR/Cas for Obtaining Optimal Phenotypic and Agronomic Traits
09:43

Author Spotlight: Streamlining Rice Breeding with CRISPR/Cas for Obtaining Optimal Phenotypic and Agronomic Traits

Published on: January 3, 2025

2.6K
CcCIPK14 Gene Function Analysis to Illuminate the Efficient Root Transgenic System
07:00

CcCIPK14 Gene Function Analysis to Illuminate the Efficient Root Transgenic System

Published on: September 23, 2021

2.1K

Area of Science:

  • Genetics and Plant Breeding
  • Crop Domestication
  • Molecular Evolution

Background:

  • Domestication involves genetic changes that improve crop traits.
  • Understanding selection pressures during domestication is key for crop improvement.
  • WD40 proteins play crucial roles in various cellular processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate convergent selection of WD40 protein genes in maize and rice during domestication.
  • To assess the impact of specific gene knockouts on crop yield and agronomic traits.
  • To explore the utility of identifying convergent selection for targeted crop improvement.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative genomics analysis of orthologous genes in maize and rice.
  • Gene knockout experiments using CRISPR-Cas9 or similar technologies.
  • Phenotypic evaluation of knockout mutants for yield and other agronomic traits.

Main Results:

  • Convergent selection was identified for specific WD40 protein-encoding orthologs in both maize and rice.
  • Knockout of these selected genes significantly increased yield in both crop species.
  • No significant negative effects on other major agronomic traits were observed post-knockout.

Conclusions:

  • Convergent selection on WD40 genes during domestication offers a valuable target for crop yield enhancement.
  • Targeted gene knockout strategies based on evolutionary insights can accelerate crop improvement.
  • This study provides a foundation for leveraging evolutionary genetics in modern agriculture.