Caractérisation Biochimique et Moléculaire de Mécanismes de la Germination d'Espèces Endémiques de Nouvelle-Calédonie

La Nouvelle-Calédonie possède une flore riche, diverse et unique au monde. Sa forte endémicité (74,7%) résulte en partie de l origine gondwanienne de la flore et de la forte pression de sélection exercée par les sols ultramafiques, riches en éléments traces métalliques, dont le nickel. Si cet élément fait la richesse du pays par son exploitation minière, cette dernière, ainsi que l anthropisation du territoire engendrent une détérioration des écosystèmes. Dans le cadre de la dynamique mondiale de conservation, de protection et de restauration de la biodiversité, il convient de caractériser au mieux la flore néo-calédonienne foisonnante de plantes uniques. Les graines, innovation des végétaux supérieurs assurant leur dissémination, sont un des points clés du succès de la domination mondiale des plantes supérieures et un outil indispensable à la restauration écologique. Notre étude s est attachée à caractériser par une approche biochimique la biologie des graines de deux plantes endémiques exceptionnelles, Amborella trichopoda, soeur de toutes les plantes à fleurs et Psychotria gabriellae, une des plantes contenant le plus de nickel dans ses feuilles au monde.La caractérisation protéomique de la graine d Amborella trichopoda a permis d obtenir le premier protéome d un embryon rudimentaire. L étude de ce cortège protéique a apporté des éléments de réponse aux nombreuses questions que soulèvent les graines à dormance morphologique comme celles d A. trichopoda. Notamment, nous avons montré que l embryon rudimentaire a acquis un stade de maturité moléculaire (présence de protéines chaperons, de réserves lipidiques). L étude phylogénique de ces protéines a permis de conforter la place basale d A. trichopoda. La caractérisation de l évolution du protéome au cours de la germination a quant à elle mise en évidence une utilisation massive des protéines de réserve avant la fin de la germination ce qui questionne la définition de la germination sensu stricto pour les espèces à embryon rudimentaire.Une précèdente étude du cortège protéique de P. gabriellae avait révélé la présence de protéines DING notamment impliquées dans l homéostasie d éléments minéraux via leur interaction avec des transporteurs de type ABC ou encore en séquestrant elles-mêmes le phosphore. Leur identification fut corrélée avec l observation d un gradient de nickel dans la graine visant à protéger l embryon du caractère toxique de ce dernier. Les données recueillies au cours du présent travail ont permis de confirmer la présence de ces protéines dont l origine eucaryotique fait cependant débat. Face à cette controverse, nous avons cherché à identifier la présence de bactéries chez la graine mature sèche. Quatre bactéries endophytes de graine ont été identifiées mais aucune ne semble produire de protéines DING. Le rôle de ces protéines dans la physiologie de la graine de P. gabriellae et dans l adaptation au nickel restent à explorer.Par ailleurs, cette approche protéomique a été complétée par l obtention des transcrits exprimés au cours de la formation de la graine de Psychotria gabriellae. Cette base de données représente une source de données génomique utile pour approfondir les mécanismes impliqués dans la mise en place de l hyperaccumulation de nickel chez les plantes, mécanismes qui pourront un jour s avérer utiles pour répondre à des questions de phytoremédiation.New Caledonia possesses one of the world most rich, diverse and unique flora. Its high endemism (74,7%) is partly due to the gondwanian origin of its flora and to the high speciation induced by the ultramafic soils rich in heavy metals, including nickel. If this element is the source of the country richness, its mining exploitation and human colonization of the land induce ecosystems degradation. The study and comprehension of the new Caledonian flora is essential to be able to preserve, protect and restore its rich biodiversity. Preservation and restoration both depend on seeds. They are the unit of dispersal of higher plants, and responsible of their world domination on flora. We focused our study on the biochemical characterisation of seed biology of two extraordinary species, Amborella trichopoda, the sister to all extant flowering plants and Psychotria gabriellae, one of the world most nickel hyperaccumulating plant.Proteomic characterisation of A. trichopoda seeds was the first study that documented a rudimentary embryo proteome. This approach provides a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in the control of dormancy and germination of seeds with morphological dormancy such as A. trichopoda. The results obtained allow us to highlight the molecular maturity of the rudimentary embryo, as well as confirming the basal position of Amborella trichopoda trough phylogenetic analyses of selected protein families. The characterisation of the protein evolution during germination highlights massive mobilisation of storage proteins before the end of germination sensu stricto, and suggests a new definition of germination for seeds with rudimentary embryo.Previous proteomics characterisation of P. gabriellae seeds revealed a high representation of DING proteins that are known to be involved with ABC type transporters or to bind phosphorus. This observation was associated with an observed gradient of nickel inside the seed presumably to protect the embryo from its toxicity. During this work, we confirmed the presence of this protein family in the seeds, from which the belonging to the eukaryotic kingdom remains a subject of debate. To answer about the origin of these proteins in seed, we tried to determine the presence or not of bacteria in the dry mature seed. Four endophytic bacteria were identified but none of them seems to produce such proteins. However, the physiological signification of these bacteria to account for physiological features of the Psychotria gabriellae seeds and their exceptional tolerance toward nickel toxicity remains to be established.Beside this proteomics approach, we sequenced a large number of transcripts expressed during Psychotria gabriellae seed formation. This database will enrich the very limited genomic data available for this specie. It will allow a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in nickel hyperaccumulation, and may highlight novel tools for phytoremediation.NOUMEA-BU (987352102) / SudocSudocFranceF

Biochemical and molecular characterization of mechanisms involved in the germination of native species from New-Caledonia

La Nouvelle-Calédonie possède une flore riche, diverse et unique au monde. Sa forte endémicité (74,7%) résulte en partie de l’origine gondwanienne de la flore et de la forte pression de sélection exercée par les sols ultramafiques, riches en éléments traces métalliques, dont le nickel. Si cet élément fait la richesse du pays par son exploitation minière, cette dernière, ainsi que l’anthropisation du territoire engendrent une détérioration des écosystèmes. Dans le cadre de la dynamique mondiale de conservation, de protection et de restauration de la biodiversité, il convient de caractériser au mieux la flore néo-calédonienne foisonnante de plantes uniques. Les graines, innovation des végétaux supérieurs assurant leur dissémination, sont un des points clés du succès de la domination mondiale des plantes supérieures et un outil indispensable à la restauration écologique. Notre étude s’est attachée à caractériser par une approche biochimique la biologie des graines de deux plantes endémiques exceptionnelles, Amborella trichopoda, soeur de toutes les plantes à fleurs et Psychotria gabriellae, une des plantes contenant le plus de nickel dans ses feuilles au monde.La caractérisation protéomique de la graine d’Amborella trichopoda a permis d’obtenir le premier protéome d’un embryon rudimentaire. L’étude de ce cortège protéique a apporté des éléments de réponse aux nombreuses questions que soulèvent les graines à dormance morphologique comme celles d’A. trichopoda. Notamment, nous avons montré que l’embryon rudimentaire a acquis un stade de maturité moléculaire (présence de protéines chaperons, de réserves lipidiques). L’étude phylogénique de ces protéines a permis de conforter la place basale d’A. trichopoda. La caractérisation de l’évolution du protéome au cours de la germination a quant à elle mise en évidence une utilisation massive des protéines de réserve avant la fin de la germination ce qui questionne la définition de la germination sensu stricto pour les espèces à embryon rudimentaire.Une précèdente étude du cortège protéique de P. gabriellae avait révélé la présence de protéines DING notamment impliquées dans l’homéostasie d’éléments minéraux via leur interaction avec des transporteurs de type ABC ou encore en séquestrant elles-mêmes le phosphore. Leur identification fut corrélée avec l’observation d’un gradient de nickel dans la graine visant à protéger l’embryon du caractère toxique de ce dernier. Les données recueillies au cours du présent travail ont permis de confirmer la présence de ces protéines dont l’origine eucaryotique fait cependant débat. Face à cette controverse, nous avons cherché à identifier la présence de bactéries chez la graine mature sèche. Quatre bactéries endophytes de graine ont été identifiées mais aucune ne semble produire de protéines DING. Le rôle de ces protéines dans la physiologie de la graine de P. gabriellae et dans l’adaptation au nickel restent à explorer.Par ailleurs, cette approche protéomique a été complétée par l’obtention des transcrits exprimés au cours de la formation de la graine de Psychotria gabriellae. Cette base de données représente une source de données génomique utile pour approfondir les mécanismes impliqués dans la mise en place de l’hyperaccumulation de nickel chez les plantes, mécanismes qui pourront un jour s’avérer utiles pour répondre à des questions de phytoremédiation.New Caledonia possesses one of the world most rich, diverse and unique flora. Its high endemism (74,7%) is partly due to the gondwanian origin of its flora and to the high speciation induced by the ultramafic soils rich in heavy metals, including nickel. If this element is the source of the country richness, its mining exploitation and human colonization of the land induce ecosystems degradation. The study and comprehension of the new Caledonian flora is essential to be able to preserve, protect and restore its rich biodiversity. Preservation and restoration both depend on seeds. They are the unit of dispersal of higher plants, and responsible of their world domination on flora. We focused our study on the biochemical characterisation of seed biology of two extraordinary species, Amborella trichopoda, the sister to all extant flowering plants and Psychotria gabriellae, one of the world most nickel hyperaccumulating plant.Proteomic characterisation of A. trichopoda seeds was the first study that documented a rudimentary embryo proteome. This approach provides a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in the control of dormancy and germination of seeds with morphological dormancy such as A. trichopoda. The results obtained allow us to highlight the molecular maturity of the rudimentary embryo, as well as confirming the basal position of Amborella trichopoda trough phylogenetic analyses of selected protein families. The characterisation of the protein evolution during germination highlights massive mobilisation of storage proteins before the end of germination sensu stricto, and suggests a new definition of germination for seeds with rudimentary embryo.Previous proteomics characterisation of P. gabriellae seeds revealed a high representation of DING proteins that are known to be involved with ABC type transporters or to bind phosphorus. This observation was associated with an observed gradient of nickel inside the seed presumably to protect the embryo from its toxicity. During this work, we confirmed the presence of this protein family in the seeds, from which the belonging to the eukaryotic kingdom remains a subject of debate. To answer about the origin of these proteins in seed, we tried to determine the presence or not of bacteria in the dry mature seed. Four endophytic bacteria were identified but none of them seems to produce such proteins. However, the physiological signification of these bacteria to account for physiological features of the Psychotria gabriellae seeds and their exceptional tolerance toward nickel toxicity remains to be established.Beside this proteomics approach, we sequenced a large number of transcripts expressed during Psychotria gabriellae seed formation. This database will enrich the very limited genomic data available for this specie. It will allow a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in nickel hyperaccumulation, and may highlight novel tools for phytoremediation

Caractérisation biochimique et moléculaire de mécanismes de la germination d’espèces endémiques de Nouvelle-Calédonie

New Caledonia possesses one of the world most rich, diverse and unique flora. Its high endemism (74,7%) is partly due to the gondwanian origin of its flora and to the high speciation induced by the ultramafic soils rich in heavy metals, including nickel. If this element is the source of the country richness, its mining exploitation and human colonization of the land induce ecosystems degradation. The study and comprehension of the new Caledonian flora is essential to be able to preserve, protect and restore its rich biodiversity. Preservation and restoration both depend on seeds. They are the unit of dispersal of higher plants, and responsible of their world domination on flora. We focused our study on the biochemical characterisation of seed biology of two extraordinary species, Amborella trichopoda, the sister to all extant flowering plants and Psychotria gabriellae, one of the world most nickel hyperaccumulating plant.Proteomic characterisation of A. trichopoda seeds was the first study that documented a rudimentary embryo proteome. This approach provides a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in the control of dormancy and germination of seeds with morphological dormancy such as A. trichopoda. The results obtained allow us to highlight the molecular maturity of the rudimentary embryo, as well as confirming the basal position of Amborella trichopoda trough phylogenetic analyses of selected protein families. The characterisation of the protein evolution during germination highlights massive mobilisation of storage proteins before the end of germination sensu stricto, and suggests a new definition of germination for seeds with rudimentary embryo.Previous proteomics characterisation of P. gabriellae seeds revealed a high representation of DING proteins that are known to be involved with ABC type transporters or to bind phosphorus. This observation was associated with an observed gradient of nickel inside the seed presumably to protect the embryo from its toxicity. During this work, we confirmed the presence of this protein family in the seeds, from which the belonging to the eukaryotic kingdom remains a subject of debate. To answer about the origin of these proteins in seed, we tried to determine the presence or not of bacteria in the dry mature seed. Four endophytic bacteria were identified but none of them seems to produce such proteins. However, the physiological signification of these bacteria to account for physiological features of the Psychotria gabriellae seeds and their exceptional tolerance toward nickel toxicity remains to be established.Beside this proteomics approach, we sequenced a large number of transcripts expressed during Psychotria gabriellae seed formation. This database will enrich the very limited genomic data available for this specie. It will allow a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in nickel hyperaccumulation, and may highlight novel tools for phytoremediation.La Nouvelle-Calédonie possède une flore riche, diverse et unique au monde. Sa forte endémicité (74,7%) résulte en partie de l’origine gondwanienne de la flore et de la forte pression de sélection exercée par les sols ultramafiques, riches en éléments traces métalliques, dont le nickel. Si cet élément fait la richesse du pays par son exploitation minière, cette dernière, ainsi que l’anthropisation du territoire engendrent une détérioration des écosystèmes. Dans le cadre de la dynamique mondiale de conservation, de protection et de restauration de la biodiversité, il convient de caractériser au mieux la flore néo-calédonienne foisonnante de plantes uniques. Les graines, innovation des végétaux supérieurs assurant leur dissémination, sont un des points clés du succès de la domination mondiale des plantes supérieures et un outil indispensable à la restauration écologique. Notre étude s’est attachée à caractériser par une approche biochimique la biologie des graines de deux plantes endémiques exceptionnelles, Amborella trichopoda, soeur de toutes les plantes à fleurs et Psychotria gabriellae, une des plantes contenant le plus de nickel dans ses feuilles au monde.La caractérisation protéomique de la graine d’Amborella trichopoda a permis d’obtenir le premier protéome d’un embryon rudimentaire. L’étude de ce cortège protéique a apporté des éléments de réponse aux nombreuses questions que soulèvent les graines à dormance morphologique comme celles d’A. trichopoda. Notamment, nous avons montré que l’embryon rudimentaire a acquis un stade de maturité moléculaire (présence de protéines chaperons, de réserves lipidiques). L’étude phylogénique de ces protéines a permis de conforter la place basale d’A. trichopoda. La caractérisation de l’évolution du protéome au cours de la germination a quant à elle mise en évidence une utilisation massive des protéines de réserve avant la fin de la germination ce qui questionne la définition de la germination sensu stricto pour les espèces à embryon rudimentaire.Une précèdente étude du cortège protéique de P. gabriellae avait révélé la présence de protéines DING notamment impliquées dans l’homéostasie d’éléments minéraux via leur interaction avec des transporteurs de type ABC ou encore en séquestrant elles-mêmes le phosphore. Leur identification fut corrélée avec l’observation d’un gradient de nickel dans la graine visant à protéger l’embryon du caractère toxique de ce dernier. Les données recueillies au cours du présent travail ont permis de confirmer la présence de ces protéines dont l’origine eucaryotique fait cependant débat. Face à cette controverse, nous avons cherché à identifier la présence de bactéries chez la graine mature sèche. Quatre bactéries endophytes de graine ont été identifiées mais aucune ne semble produire de protéines DING. Le rôle de ces protéines dans la physiologie de la graine de P. gabriellae et dans l’adaptation au nickel restent à explorer.Par ailleurs, cette approche protéomique a été complétée par l’obtention des transcrits exprimés au cours de la formation de la graine de Psychotria gabriellae. Cette base de données représente une source de données génomique utile pour approfondir les mécanismes impliqués dans la mise en place de l’hyperaccumulation de nickel chez les plantes, mécanismes qui pourront un jour s’avérer utiles pour répondre à des questions de phytoremédiation

A Combination of Histological, Physiological, and Proteomic Approaches Shed Light on Seed Desiccation Tolerance of the Basal Angiosperm Amborella trichopoda

Desiccation tolerance allows plant seeds to remain viable in a dry state for years and even centuries. To reveal potential evolutionary processes of this trait, we have conducted a shotgun proteomic analysis of isolated embryo and endosperm from mature seeds of Amborella trichopoda, an understory shrub endemic to New Caledonia that is considered to be the basal extant angiosperm. The present analysis led to the characterization of 415 and 69 proteins from the isolated embryo and endosperm tissues, respectively. The role of these proteins is discussed in terms of protein evolution and physiological properties of the rudimentary, underdeveloped, Amborella embryos, notably considering that the acquisition of desiccation tolerance corresponds to the final developmental stage of mature seeds possessing large embryos

The morphophysiological dormancy in Amborella trichopoda seeds is a pleisiomorphic trait in angiosperms

Background and Aims Recent parsimony-based reconstructions suggest that seeds of early angiosperms had either morphophysiological or physiological dormancy, with the former considered as more probable. The aim of this study was to determine the class of seed dormancy present in Amborella trichopoda, the sole living representative of the most basal angiosperm lineage Amborellales, with a view to resolving fully the class of dormancy present at the base of the angiosperm clade. Methods Drupes of A. trichopoda without fleshy parts were germinated and dissected to observe their structure and embryo growth. Pre-treatments including acid scarification, gibberellin treatment and seed excision were tested to determine their influence on dormancy breakage and germination. Character-state mapping by maximum parsimony, incorporating data from the present work and published sources, was then used to determine the likely class of dormancy present in early angiosperms. Key Results Germination in A. trichopoda requires a warm stratification period of at least approx. 90 d, which is followed by endosperm swelling, causing the water-permeable pericarp-mesocarp envelope to split open. The embryo then grows rapidly within the seed, to radicle emergence some 17 d later and cotyledon emergence after an additional 24 d. Gibberellin treatment, acid scarification and excision of seeds from the surrounding drupe tissues all promoted germination by shortening the initial phase of dormancy, prior to embryo growth. Conclusions Seeds of A. trichopoda have non-deep simple morphophysiological dormancy, in which mechanical resistance of the pericarp-mesocarp envelope plays a key role in the initial physiological phase. Maximum parsimony analyses, including data obtained in the present work, indicate that morphophysiological dormancy is likely to be a pleisiomorphic trait in flowering plants. The significance of this conclusion for studies of early angiosperm evolution is discussed

A Combination of Histological, Physiological, and Proteomic Approaches Shed Light on Seed Desiccation Tolerance of the Basal Angiosperm Amborella trichopoda.

International audienceDesiccation tolerance allows plant seeds to remain viable in a dry state for years and even centuries. To reveal potential evolutionary processes of this trait, we have conducted a shotgun proteomic analysis of isolated embryo and endosperm from mature seeds of Amborella trichopoda, an understory shrub endemic to New Caledonia that is considered to be the basal extant angiosperm. The present analysis led to the characterization of 415 and 69 proteins from the isolated embryo and endosperm tissues, respectively. The role of these proteins is discussed in terms of protein evolution and physiological properties of the rudimentary, underdeveloped, Amborella embryos, notably considering that the acquisition of desiccation tolerance corresponds to the final developmental stage of mature seeds possessing large embryos

DataSheet_1_Phylogenomic resolution of order- and family-level monocot relationships using 602 single-copy nuclear genes and 1375 BUSCO genes.docx

We assess relationships among 192 species in all 12 monocot orders and 72 of 77 families, using 602 conserved single-copy (CSC) genes and 1375 benchmarking single-copy ortholog (BUSCO) genes extracted from genomic and transcriptomic datasets. Phylogenomic inferences based on these data, using both coalescent-based and supermatrix analyses, are largely congruent with the most comprehensive plastome-based analysis, and nuclear-gene phylogenomic analyses with less comprehensive taxon sampling. The strongest discordance between the plastome and nuclear gene analyses is the monophyly of a clade comprising Asparagales and Liliales in our nuclear gene analyses, versus the placement of Asparagales and Liliales as successive sister clades to the commelinids in the plastome tree. Within orders, around six of 72 families shifted positions relative to the recent plastome analysis, but four of these involve poorly supported inferred relationships in the plastome-based tree. In Poales, the nuclear data place a clade comprising Ecdeiocoleaceae+Joinvilleaceae as sister to the grasses (Poaceae); Typhaceae, (rather than Bromeliaceae) are resolved as sister to all other Poales. In Commelinales, nuclear data place Philydraceae sister to all other families rather than to a clade comprising Haemodoraceae+Pontederiaceae as seen in the plastome tree. In Liliales, nuclear data place Liliaceae sister to Smilacaceae, and Melanthiaceae are placed sister to all other Liliales except Campynemataceae. Finally, in Alismatales, nuclear data strongly place Tofieldiaceae, rather than Araceae, as sister to all the other families, providing an alternative resolution of what has been the most problematic node to resolve using plastid data, outside of those involving achlorophyllous mycoheterotrophs. As seen in numerous prior studies, the placement of orders Acorales and Alismatales as successive sister lineages to all other extant monocots. Only 21.2% of BUSCO genes were demonstrably single-copy, yet phylogenomic inferences based on BUSCO and CSC genes did not differ, and overall functional annotations of the two sets were very similar. Our analyses also reveal significant gene tree-species tree discordance despite high support values, as expected given incomplete lineage sorting (ILS) related to rapid diversification. Our study advances understanding of monocot relationships and the robustness of phylogenetic inferences based on large numbers of nuclear single-copy genes that can be obtained from transcriptomes and genomes.</p

DataSheet_2_Phylogenomic resolution of order- and family-level monocot relationships using 602 single-copy nuclear genes and 1375 BUSCO genes.xlsx

We assess relationships among 192 species in all 12 monocot orders and 72 of 77 families, using 602 conserved single-copy (CSC) genes and 1375 benchmarking single-copy ortholog (BUSCO) genes extracted from genomic and transcriptomic datasets. Phylogenomic inferences based on these data, using both coalescent-based and supermatrix analyses, are largely congruent with the most comprehensive plastome-based analysis, and nuclear-gene phylogenomic analyses with less comprehensive taxon sampling. The strongest discordance between the plastome and nuclear gene analyses is the monophyly of a clade comprising Asparagales and Liliales in our nuclear gene analyses, versus the placement of Asparagales and Liliales as successive sister clades to the commelinids in the plastome tree. Within orders, around six of 72 families shifted positions relative to the recent plastome analysis, but four of these involve poorly supported inferred relationships in the plastome-based tree. In Poales, the nuclear data place a clade comprising Ecdeiocoleaceae+Joinvilleaceae as sister to the grasses (Poaceae); Typhaceae, (rather than Bromeliaceae) are resolved as sister to all other Poales. In Commelinales, nuclear data place Philydraceae sister to all other families rather than to a clade comprising Haemodoraceae+Pontederiaceae as seen in the plastome tree. In Liliales, nuclear data place Liliaceae sister to Smilacaceae, and Melanthiaceae are placed sister to all other Liliales except Campynemataceae. Finally, in Alismatales, nuclear data strongly place Tofieldiaceae, rather than Araceae, as sister to all the other families, providing an alternative resolution of what has been the most problematic node to resolve using plastid data, outside of those involving achlorophyllous mycoheterotrophs. As seen in numerous prior studies, the placement of orders Acorales and Alismatales as successive sister lineages to all other extant monocots. Only 21.2% of BUSCO genes were demonstrably single-copy, yet phylogenomic inferences based on BUSCO and CSC genes did not differ, and overall functional annotations of the two sets were very similar. Our analyses also reveal significant gene tree-species tree discordance despite high support values, as expected given incomplete lineage sorting (ILS) related to rapid diversification. Our study advances understanding of monocot relationships and the robustness of phylogenetic inferences based on large numbers of nuclear single-copy genes that can be obtained from transcriptomes and genomes.</p

One thousand plant transcriptomes and the phylogenomics of green plants

Abstract: Green plants (Viridiplantae) include around 450,000–500,000 species1, 2 of great diversity and have important roles in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Here, as part of the One Thousand Plant Transcriptomes Initiative, we sequenced the vegetative transcriptomes of 1,124 species that span the diversity of plants in a broad sense (Archaeplastida), including green plants (Viridiplantae), glaucophytes (Glaucophyta) and red algae (Rhodophyta). Our analysis provides a robust phylogenomic framework for examining the evolution of green plants. Most inferred species relationships are well supported across multiple species tree and supermatrix analyses, but discordance among plastid and nuclear gene trees at a few important nodes highlights the complexity of plant genome evolution, including polyploidy, periods of rapid speciation, and extinction. Incomplete sorting of ancestral variation, polyploidization and massive expansions of gene families punctuate the evolutionary history of green plants. Notably, we find that large expansions of gene families preceded the origins of green plants, land plants and vascular plants, whereas whole-genome duplications are inferred to have occurred repeatedly throughout the evolution of flowering plants and ferns. The increasing availability of high-quality plant genome sequences and advances in functional genomics are enabling research on genome evolution across the green tree of life