Evolution of Plant Genomes

Abstract

Synopsis The advent of high-throughput sequencing and its application to a wide range of taxa has generated datasets that have provided new insights into genome organization and evolution in plants. Plants have extremely plastic genomes that can expand greatly due to the activity of transposable elements, tandem gene duplication, segmental duplication, and even polyploidy. Thus, there is not only substantial differences in gene content, but also a >2,500-fold differential in genome sizes among angiosperms. The creation of duplicated gene sets generates gene families that provides a template for evolution and diversification of gene function. For example, the genome of Arabidopsis thaliana, a small annual weed, contains a similar number of genes as the human genome, of which the proportion of genes in gene families is substantially greater in this model plant species compared to humans. In this entry, the evolution of genome size, content, and function are discussed to provide an understanding of the forces that can shape plant genomes that may ultimately contribute to the diversity of plant life.