Christmas tree`s genome hasn`t changed since dinosaur era
The genome of conifers such as spruce, pine, and fir - widely used as Christmas trees - has remained very much the same for over 100 million years when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.
|Last Updated: Dec 14, 2012, 04:48 PM IST|Source: Bureau
Toronto: The genome of conifers such as spruce, pine, and fir - widely used as Christmas trees - has remained very much the same for over 100 million years when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.
This stability means there are far fewer species within the taxonomic group today, compared with other types of plants that have splintered off into thousands of different species.
Consider, for example, just 600 species of conifers exist today, while more than 400,000 species of flowering plants, or angiosperms, dot the Earth.
Researchers led by Professor Jean Bousquet from the Universite` Laval in Canada came to this conclusion after analysing the genome of conifers and comparing it to that of flowering plants.
Both plant groups stem from the same ancestor but diverged some 300 million years ago.
Researchers compared the genome macrostructure for 157 gene families present both in conifers and flowering plants.
They observed that the genome of conifers has remained particularly stable for at least 100 million years, while that of flowering plants has undergone major changes in the same period.
"That doesn`t mean there haven`t been smaller scale modifications such as genetic mutations. However, the macrostructure of the conifer genome has been remarkably stable over the ages," said Bousquet in a statement.
"Conifers appear to have achieved a balance with their environment very early," said Bousquet.
"Still today, without artifice, these plants thrive over much of the globe, particularly in cold climates. In contrast, flowering plants are under intense evolutionary pressure as they battle for survival and reproduction," he said.
The study finding was published in the journal BMC Biology.
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.