Abstract
An enduring question in evolutionary biology concerns the degree to which episodes of convergent trait evolution depend on the same genetic programs, particularly over long timescales. In this work, we genetically dissected repeated origins and losses of prickles—sharp epidermal projections—that convergently evolved in numerous plant lineages. Mutations in a cytokinin hormone biosynthetic gene caused at least 16 independent losses of prickles in eggplants and wild relatives in the genus Solanum . Homologs underlie prickle formation across angiosperms that collectively diverged more than 150 million years ago, including rice and roses. By developing new Solanum genetic systems, we leveraged this discovery to eliminate prickles in a wild species and an indigenously foraged berry. Our findings implicate a shared hormone activation genetic program underlying evolutionarily widespread and recurrent instances of plant morphological innovation.
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Claims 4
Claim · model-written summary
Mutations in a cytokinin hormone biosynthetic gene caused at least 16 independent losses of prickles in eggplants and wild relatives in the genus Solanum.
- Taxon
- eggplants
Solanum melongenae0 - Gene
- cytokinin hormone biosynthetic genee0
- Outcome
- independent losses of pricklese0
- Value
- at least 16e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Mutations in a cytokinin hormone biosynthetic gene caused at least 16 independent losses of prickles in eggplants and wild relatives in the genus Solanum”
Claim · model-written summary
Homologs of the cytokinin biosynthetic gene underlie prickle formation across angiosperms that diverged more than 150 million years ago, including rice and roses.
- Taxon
- angiospermsMagnoliopsidae0
- Gene
- Homologse0
- Outcome
- prickle formatione0
- Qualifier
- including rice and rosese0
Verbatim
e0“Homologs underlie prickle formation across angiosperms that collectively diverged more than 150 million years ago, including rice and roses”
Claim · model-written summary
Using newly developed Solanum genetic systems, prickles were eliminated in a wild species and in an indigenously foraged berry.
- Taxon
- a wild species and an indigenously foraged berrye0
- Treatment
- developing new Solanum genetic systemse0
- Outcome
- pricklese0
- Direction
- eliminatee0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“By developing new Solanum genetic systems, we leveraged this discovery to eliminate prickles in a wild species and an indigenously foraged berry”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors conclude that a shared hormone activation genetic program underlies widespread and recurrent evolution of plant morphological innovation such as prickles.
Verbatim
e0“Our findings implicate a shared hormone activation genetic program underlying evolutionarily widespread and recurrent instances of plant morphological innovation”