title: Physcomitrella patens: mosses enter the genomic age.
abstract: The sequenced genome of the moss Physcomitrella patens provides a powerful tool for comparative analyses of land plant genomes. In parallel, several tools for studying gene function have been developed in P. patens, including RNA interference, inducible promoters and gene targeting, a unique attribute of this plant system. The results of these initiatives are now being realized. For example, transcriptomic analyses illustrate commonalities among plant lineages in gene content, structure, and regulation. Transgenic studies show that the regulatory factors ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE3 (ABI3) and LEAFY (LFY) have molecular functions that are conserved between moss and angiosperms, in spite of the fact that they function in non-homologous tissues. Future work in P. patens will contribute to our understanding of the molecular basis of plant development and evolution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Washington University, One Brookings Drive, CB 1137, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, USA. rsq@wustl.edu
authors.forename: Ralph S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Quatrano
authors.forename: Stuart F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: McDaniel
authors.forename: Abha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khandelwal
authors.forename: Pierre-François
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Perroud
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Cove
mesh_terms: D019068:Bryopsida / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D018390:Gene Targeting; D017343:Genes, Plant; D023281:Genomics