genome-evolution
Genome evolution examines how plant genomes change in structure and size over time through processes such as gene duplication, polyploidy, and chromosomal rearrangement. This field is critical to plant science because it reveals the genetic mechanisms underlying plant adaptation, diversity, and domestication. By studying genome evolution, researchers can develop improved crop varieties, protect wild plant species, and understand how plants will adapt to environmental change.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-02-17
Researchers traced the genetic legacy of an ancient genome-tripling event in the daisy family (Asteraceae) — the world's largest flowering plant family — identifying 157 genes that still exist in three copies and appear to drive the family's iconic composite flower head structure.
The ancestral Asteraceae genome is reconstructed as 48 genomic blocks (16 original groups × 3 from triplication), representing the earliest common ancestor of all daisies and sunflowers.
157 genes retained all three triplicated copies across most Asteraceae species, with transcription factors and auxin hormone-related genes significantly overrepresented — pointing to their role in floral development.
Modern Asteraceae genomes are genetic mosaics shaped by chromosomal rearrangements and gene loss, yet expression of the 157 triplicated gene sets is spatially and temporally differentiated, suggesting functional diversification.
