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Today we have naming of parts

Nature volume 402, pages 731–732 (1999)Cite this article

The first completely sequenced plant chromosomes, from the mustard Arabidopsis thaliana, reveal a dynamic genome that is constantly being rearranged.

Although we share the planet with plants and depend on them for food, raw materials and energy, we know very little about them. But this is beginning to change. On pages 761 and 769 of this issue, Lin et al.1 and Wambutt et al.2 report the DNA sequences of chromosomes 2 and 4, respectively, from Arabidopsis thaliana. The sequences include about 30% of the plant's genes, and show that although many plant genes are familiar homologues of known animal and fungal genes, many others are plant specific. The sequences also show an evolving genome, with evidence for ancient and recent duplications of both single genes and large chromosomal regions.

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Figure 1

(Painting by Janet Wehr, courtesy of Chris Somerville.)

References

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  1. the Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, 91125, California, USA

    Elliot M. Meyerowitz

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  1. Elliot M. Meyerowitz
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Correspondence to Elliot M. Meyerowitz.

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Meyerowitz, E. Today we have naming of parts. Nature 402, 731–732 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/45398

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