Plastomes of Bryophytes, Lycophytes and Ferns

Abstract

We review current progress in our understanding of chloroplast genomes (plastomes) of liverworts, mosses, hornworts, lycophytes and monilophytes. We briefl y cover some of the methods used to obtain complete nucleotide sequences of plastomes and we summarize the published sequences from the plant groups above. We explore some of the evolutionary changes that have occurred in terms of gene content, introns and position of the inverted repeat boundaries. We also discuss RNA editing, which is especially high in plastome genes of some non-seed land plants. We fi nish with a phylogenetic analysis of available plastome genes and we suggest some possible directions for future research.