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Ancient horizontal transfer of transaldolase‐like protein gene and its role in plant vascular development
Author(s) -
Yang Zefeng,
Zhou Yong,
Huang Jinling,
Hu Yunyun,
Zhang Enying,
Xie Zhengwen,
Ma Sijia,
Gao Yun,
Song Song,
Xu Chenwu,
Liang Guohua
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/nph.13183
Subject(s) - horizontal gene transfer , biology , plant evolution , vascular plant , gene , phylogenetic tree , transaldolase , evolutionary biology , vascular tissue , neofunctionalization , phylogenetics , botany , genetics , ecology , genome , biochemistry , glycolysis , species richness , pentose phosphate pathway , enzyme
Summary A major event in land plant evolution is the origin of vascular tissues, which ensure the long‐distance transport of water, nutrients and organic compounds. However, the molecular basis for the origin and evolution of plant vascular tissues remains largely unknown. Here, we investigate the evolution of the land plant TAL‐type transaldolase ( TAL ) gene and its potential function in rice ( O ryza sativa ) based on phylogenetic analyses and transgenic experiments, respectively. TAL genes are only present in land plants and bacteria. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that land plant TAL genes are derived from Actinobacteria through an ancient horizontal gene transfer (HGT) event. Further evidence reveals that land plant TAL genes have undergone positive selection and gained several introns following its acquisition by the most recent common ancestor of land plants. Transgenic plant experiments show that rice TAL is specifically expressed in vascular tissues and that knockdown of TAL expression leads to changes in both the number and pattern of vascular bundles. Our findings show that the ancient HGT of TAL from bacteria probably plays an important role in plant vascular development and adaptation to land environments.

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