The bryophytes Physcomitrium patens and Marchantia polymorpha as model systems for studying evolutionary cell and developmental biology in plants

Abstract

Bryophytes are non-vascular spore-forming plants. Unlike in flowering plants, the gametophyte (haploid) generation of bryophytes dominates the sporophyte (diploid) generation. A comparison of bryophytes with flowering plants allows us to answer some fundamental questions raised in evolutionary cell and developmental biology. The moss Physcomitrium patens was the first bryophyte with a sequenced genome. Many cell and developmental studies have been conducted in this species using gene targeting by homologous recombination. The liverwort Marchantia polymorpha has recently emerged as an excellent model system with low genomic redundancy in most of its regulatory pathways. With the development of molecular genetic tools such as efficient genome editing, both P. patens and M. polymorpha have provided many valuable insights. Here, we review these advances, with a special focus on polarity formation at the cell and tissue levels. We examine current knowledge regarding the cellular mechanisms of polarized cell elongation and cell division, including symmetric and asymmetric cell division. We also examine the role of polar auxin transport in mosses and liverworts. Finally, we discuss the future of evolutionary cell and developmental biological studies in plants.

Bacterial-type ferroxidase tunes iron-dependent phosphate sensing during Arabidopsis root development

“… 52 , 55 Although a function of LPR1 in root Pi sensing has been established in Arabidopsis , 15 , 16 , 18 , 20 , 21 , 31 which is likely conserved in the tracheophyte lineage (vascular plants) as recently reported for rice, 46 , 47 the biological role of LPR1-like ferroxidases for Pi nutrition in the bryophyte lineage (nonvascular plants) and in extant Zygnematophyceae algae remains an open question. Elucidation of LPR1 -like gene function across the land plants will require reverse genetics in a bryophyte system, 85 and genetically tractable model systems are beginning to emerge in the Zygnematophyceae. 86 , 87 Arabidopsis LPR1, the most thoroughly characterized plant ferroxidase, provides an impetus for structural biology and biochemistry to study the evolution of bacterial MCOs and to unravel the metabolic functions of LPR1-type MCO ferroxidases in microbial biogeochemistry.…”

Deep origin and gradual evolution of transporting tissues: Perspectives from across the land plants

“…Similar to Arabidopsis vascular patterning, the P. patens cytokinin response was shown to be auxin-sensitive ( Lavy et al, 2016 ; Rashotte, 2021 ), suggesting that this link may be ancient. P. patens PIN proteins [reviewed in Naramoto et al (2022) ] are expressed in the midvein of the gametophytic leaves, which contains hydroids ( Viaene et al, 2014 ). However, auxin response reporters (e.g.…”

Contrasting and conserved roles of NPR pathways in diverged land plant lineages

“…Such taxonomic importance has placed bryophytes in a significant position in the research of plant evolution and terrestrialization. Bryophytes consist of three divisions: mosses, liverworts, and hornworts [31, 32]. The genomes of model bryophytes, the moss Physcomitrium patens , the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha , and the hornwort Anthoceros agrestis , encode two, one, and no NPR homologs, respectively [27,33,34].…”