Green Ancestors: Decoding the Secrets of 600 Million Years of Plant Life

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Green Ancestors: Decoding the Secrets of 600 Million Years of Plant Life is a study by the University of Göttingen. The study focuses on Mesotaenium endlicherianum, an alga that is closely related to land plants. The study revealed important genetic insights. 

The study’s research team investigated 10 billion RNA snippets to identify “hub genes”. The analysis allowed the team to identify which genes collaborate in various plants and algae. 

The study found that genetic toolboxes are shared across more than 600 million years of plant and algal evolution. 

Plants and green algae (Chlorophyta) share a common evolutionary ancestor. They both contain the photosynthetic pigments chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b. The two lineages diverged between 630 million and 510 million years ago.

Green algae are considered to be the ancestors of land plants because of the following similarities: 

  • Cellulose cell walls 
  • Chlorophyll a and b 
  • Starch 
  • Carotenoids 
  • Cell division pattern 
  • Flagella 
  • Multicellular 
  • Eukaryotic 
  • Photosynthetic autotrophs 

Green algae also undergo photosynthesis and store food as starch. They have similar cell walls and go through a two-stage reproduction

Land plants are thought to be the most closely related to green algae, more specifically, a group of green algae known as charophyceans. Not only do both land plants and green algae produce chlorophyll a and b; Land plants, for example, have cellulose cell walls, as do green algae

Land plants evolved from freshwater green algae that could already perform photosynthesis. This evolution occurred during the Silurian period of the Paleozoic era, approximately 410 million years ago. 

Some features that separated land plants from green algae include: 

  • Embryo development: In plants, the embryo develops inside the female plant after fertilization. Algae release the embryo into water. 
  • Adaptations for life on land: Land plants evolved true roots, stems, and leaves with vascular tissue. They also developed a waxy cuticle to prevent drying out. 
  • Cell walls: Both land plants and green algae have cellulose cell walls. 

Land plants and charophytes form a monophyletic group, the streptophytes.

Land plants evolved through four key steps: 

  • Moving to land 
  • Developing vascular tissue 
  • Developing seeds and pollen 
  • Developing flowering plants 

Early land plants were unbranched and had simple rooting structures. Later forms developed branches, leaves, and roots. 

The oldest living remnants of land plants are considered to be bryophytes and basal pteridophytes. These include: Liverworts, Hornworts, Mosses. 

The evolution of land plants had a significant impact on the terrestrial environment. It also contributed to the diversification of plant and non-plant lineages

The first land plants were bryophytes, which likely evolved from green algae. Bryophytes include: Hornworts, Liverworts, Mosses. 

These early plants lacked vascular tissue and stomata, which evolved later to support larger plants. 

The first vascular plants evolved about 420 million years ago. They probably evolved from moss-like bryophytes. Vascular tissue allowed plants to grow larger. 

The first seed plants evolved about 360 million years ago. The first distinct seed plants appeared about 350 million years ago. 

Flowering plants first appeared in the Lower Cretaceous, about 125 million years ago.

Green Ancestors: Decoding the Secrets of 600 Million Years of Plant Life. A study by the University of Göttingen on Mesotaenium endlicherianum, an alga closely related to land plants, revealed crucial genetic insights.(full article source google)

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