By, Catherine Griffin, Science World Report
A certain carnivorous plant may seem complex, but it has a tiny genome. The carnivorous bladderwort lives in an aquatic environment, has no recognizable roots, has floating, thread-like branches and miniature vacuum pressure traps to capture prey, and now scientists are taking a closer look at its genetic makeup.
While the bladderwort may have a small genome, it still crams in more genes than several well-known plant species, such as grape, coffee or papaya. In fact, the bladderwort has an incredibly compact architecture, which researchers believe results from a history of “rampant” DNA deletion; the plant added and then eliminated (Read More)