The Plant Journal has just published a comprehensive gene expression atlas of the moss Physcomitrium patens. A key model organism for studying the evolution of land plants, P. patens provides a unique window into how gene regulation operates across different tissues, developmental stages and reproductive processes. The newly released database therefore represents a valuable resource for exploring the regulatory logic that underpins plant biology.
The study integrates large scale transcriptomic data to generate a detailed picture of gene activity throughout the life cycle of this moss. The atlas makes it possible to identify tissue specific genes, developmental regulators and molecular pathways involved in key biological processes, including sexual reproduction.
As one of the most widely used non vascular plant models, P. patens offers a distinctive evolutionary perspective for understanding how gene regulation has diversified during the evolution of land plants.
The work was carried out by an international research team, including Professor Stefan Rensing from the University of Freiburg, with significant contributions from scientists at IHSM La Mayora (UMA CSIC), among them Victoria Sánchez Vera, Enrique López Gómez, Fernando Silva Reiriz and Noé Fernández Pozo.
This gene expression atlas, developed using the EasyGDB tool, has been designed as a reference resource to support future research into plant development, reproduction and evolution. By making these data accessible and well structured, the study facilitates comparative analyses and helps accelerate discoveries in both basic and applied plant science.
© IHSM
Source: ihsm.uma-csic.es
