Genome sizes through the ages

Leitch, Ilia J.

doi:10.1038/sj.hdy.6800981

Cited by 20 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 15 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…One of the most exciting areas of stomatal research to recently emerge suggests that the genome size of angiosperms is a strong, positive predictor of guard cell length (GCL) (Beaulieu et al, 2008). This study, which covered a phylogenetically diverse sample of angiosperms, across varying growth forms (monocots, eudicots, trees, shrubs and herbs), supports the early work of Masterson (1994) whose data suggested that the small guard cell size of Cretaceous angiosperms was indicative of a small genome (Leitch, 2007). These published findings open the intriguing possibility of using the fossil angiosperm GCL record to track evolutionary changes in the size of a plant's genome over geological time, analogous to the studies of Thomson (1972), Conway Morris & Harper (1988) and Organ et al (2007) in animals.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 79%

Genome size as a predictor of guard cell length in Arabidopsis thaliana is independent of environmental conditions

et al. 2008

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Summary The recent discovery of a strong positive relationship between angiosperm genome size and stomatal guard cell length (GCL) opens the possibility of using plant fossil guard cell size as a proxy for changes in angiosperm genome size over periods of environmental change. The responses of GCL to environmental stimuli are currently unknown and may obscure this predictive relationship. Here, we investigated the effects of environmental variables (atmospheric CO2, drought, relative humidity, irradiance, ultraviolet radiation and pathogen attack) on GCL in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana to quantify environmentally induced variation. GCL responded to all variables tested, but the changes incurred did not significantly impinge on the predictive capability of the relationship.

show abstract

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 79%

Genome size as a predictor of guard cell length in Arabidopsis thaliana is independent of environmental conditions

et al. 2008

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…(2007) used osteocyte cell size in fossil dinosaurs to infer that the small genome size of birds was a pre‐existing trait within the saurischian dinosaur lineage. Leaf impression fossils with well‐defined guard cells are common in the fossil record for plants, and therefore, based on the results presented here, we suggest ancestral genome sizes could be inferred for early land plants (Leitch, 2007). Extending this work further could examine how genome size responds to climatic catastrophes (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genome size is a strong predictor of cell size and stomatal density in angiosperms

et al. 2008

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Summary• Across eukaryotes phenotypic correlations with genome size are thought to scale from genome size effects on cell size. However, for plants the genome/cell size link has only been thoroughly documented within ploidy series and small subsets of herbaceous species.• Here, the first large-scale comparative analysis is made of the relationship between genome size and cell size across 101 species of angiosperms of varying growth forms. Guard cell length and epidermal cell area were used as two metrics of cell size and, in addition, stomatal density was measured.• There was a significant positive relationship between genome size and both guard cell length and epidermal cell area and a negative relationship with stomatal density. Independent contrast analyses revealed that these traits are undergoing correlated evolution with genome size. However, the relationship was growth form dependent (nonsignificant results within trees/shrubs), although trees had the smallest genome/cell sizes and the highest stomatal density.• These results confirm the generality of the genome size/cell size relationship. The results also suggest that changes in genome size, with concomitant influences on stomatal size and density, may influence physiology, and perhaps play an important genetic role in determining the ecological and life-history strategy of a species.

show abstract

“…In seeking to understand how such diversity in genome size evolved over the c. 110-120 million years since monocots first appeared in the fossil record [161], ideally one would aim to obtain genome size estimates from key fossil taxa. However, although various approaches have been suggested for using fossil epidermal or guard cells as proxies for genome size [162,163], the poor and patchy fossil record for monocots has precluded such an approach so far. An alternative line of attack is to use statistical modelling to reconstruct genome size evolution.…”

Section: Evolution Of Genome Size Diversity Within Monocotsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genome Size Dynamics and Evolution in Monocots

et al. 2010

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Monocot genomic diversity includes striking variation at many levels. This paper compares various genomic characters (e.g., range of chromosome numbers and ploidy levels, occurrence of endopolyploidy, GC content, chromosome packaging and organization, genome size) between monocots and the remaining angiosperms to discern just how distinctive monocot genomes are. One of the most notable features of monocots is their wide range and diversity of genome sizes, including the species with the largest genome so far reported in plants. This genomic character is analysed in greater detail, within a phylogenetic context. By surveying available genome size and chromosome data it is apparent that different monocot orders follow distinctive modes of genome size and chromosome evolution. Further insights into genome size-evolution and dynamics were obtained using statistical modelling approaches to reconstruct the ancestral genome size at key nodes across the monocot phylogenetic tree. Such approaches reveal that while the ancestral genome size of all monocots was small (1C = 1.9 pg), there have been several major increases and decreases during monocot evolution. In addition, notable increases in the rates of genome size-evolution were found in Asparagales and Poales compared with other monocot lineages.

show abstract

Genome sizes through the ages

Cited by 20 publications

References 15 publications

Genome size as a predictor of guard cell length in Arabidopsis thaliana is independent of environmental conditions

Genome size as a predictor of guard cell length in Arabidopsis thaliana is independent of environmental conditions

Genome size is a strong predictor of cell size and stomatal density in angiosperms

Genome Size Dynamics and Evolution in Monocots

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About