A genetic trick leaves these stinky plants reeking of rotting flesh

A genetic trick leaves these stinky plants reeking of rotting flesh

Not all plants attract pollinators by smelling sweet. Some stink like rotting meat or even dung. Those odors can attract flies that will pollinate them. This stench comes from bacteria feasting on rotting corpses. How plants make such a foul smell has been a mystery — until now. Scientists in Japan looked at DNA in three unrelated groups of stinky plants. All had all evolved the same trick to produce this reeking scent. It involved tweaking one …

Genetic Manipulations Cause These Stinky Plants to Mimic Decaying Flesh

amino acid: A basic molecule found naturally in both plant and animal tissues, serving as a fundamental building block of proteins. Bacteria: (Singular: Bacterium) A single-celled organism that inhabits almost every environment on Earth, from deep ocean floors to the interiors of living organisms (plants and animals, etc.). Bacteria represent one of the three domains [...] The post Genetic Manipulations Cause These Stinky Plants to Mimic Decayin…