Gene networks and the evolution of plant morphology

Abstract

Elaboration of morphology depends on the precise orchestration of gene expression by key regulatory genes. The hierarchy and relationship among the participating genes is commonly known as gene regulatory network (GRN). Therefore, the evolution of morphology ultimately occurs by the rewiring of gene network structures or by the co-option of gene networks to novel domains. The availability of high-resolution expression data combined with powerful statistical tools have opened up new avenues to formulate and test hypotheses on how diverse gene networks influence trait development and diversity. Here we summarize recent studies based on both big-data and genetics approaches to understand the evolution of plant form and physiology. We also discuss recent genome-wide investigations on how studying open-chromatin regions may help study the evolution of gene expression patterns.