Plant Biology

The humble quillworts are an ancient group of approximately 250 small, aquatic plants that have largely been ignored by modern botanists. While most plants breathe in carbon dioxide (CO2) during the day, quillworts breathe in CO2 at night. Now, Research Professor Todd Michael and colleagues have sequenced the first quillwort genome to uncover new insights related to the plant’s unique method of photosynthesis. Their discoveries could eventually lead to the engineering of crops that address climate change through more efficient water use and carbon capture.

What determines how a cell’s genome is regulated to ensure proper growth and development? Turns out, the parts of the genome that are turned on or off in each cell-type or tissue play a major role in this process. Now, Associate Professor Julie Law, first author Ming Zhou and colleagues have shown that the CLASSY gene family regulates which parts of the genome are turned off in a tissue-specific manner. The discovery has the potential to advance many areas in biology, from boosting crop yields in plants to enhancing the efficacy of medical treatments for humans.