A Root Development Gene that's Older than Root Development

A root development gene that's older than root development

A gene that regulates the development of roots in vascular plants is also involved in the organ development of liverworts—land plants so old they don't even have proper roots. The Kobe University discovery, published in New Phytologist, highlights the fundamental evolutionary dynamic of co-opting, evolving a mechanism first and adopting it for a different purpose later.

Plants that abandon blooming may face extinction despite short-term gains

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) May 21, 2025 Plants that rely entirely on self-pollination evolve from populations with extremely low genetic diversity and may face long-term survival risks, according to new research by Kobe University. The findings provide rare insight into an evolutionary strategy Charles Darwin once considered potentially catastrophic. Darwin famously warned against perpetual self-fertilization, but Kobe Universit

Ancient Root Development Gene Predates Roots Themselves

In a groundbreaking study published in the journal New Phytologist, researchers at Kobe University have unveiled a remarkable discovery that deepens our understanding of plant evolution and organ development. The team, led by esteemed plant biologist FUKAKI Hidehiro, revealed that a gene previously known to regulate root development in vascular plants is also critically involved in organ formation in liverworts—ancient land plants that lack true…