Liming Cai

A reference genome and transcriptome of haustorial development in Pedicularis groenlandica reveal diverse trajectories of haustoria-associated gene evolution in parasitic plants.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Novel traits frequently evolve by co-opting existing genetic pathways through either the direct repurposing of existing genes or neofunctionalization of duplicated genes. Parasitism represents a major innovation in plants, in which a novel organ, the haustori...