Rare chance to glimpse evolution in action

SCIENTISTS have traced evolution in action after uncovering a 100 million year old genetic "mistake" in flowers.

Researchers at Leeds University have found how a gene mutation led to flowers making male and female parts in different ways.

They say their findings offer a perfect example of how diversity stems from such genetic errors but they also open the door to further investigation into how plants make flowers and the origins of the seeds and fruits people eat.

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In the research, they found that in a number of plants, the gene involved in making male and female organs has duplicated to create two very similar copies.

In rock cress, one copy still makes male and female parts, but the other copy has taken on a completely new role making seed pods shatter open.

In snapdragons, both genes are still linked to sex organs, but one copy makes mainly female parts, while still retaining a small role in male organs – but the other copy can only make male.

Lead researcher Professor of Plant Development Brendan Davies said: "Snapdragons are on the cusp of splitting the job of making male and female organs between these two genes, a key moment in the evolutionary process.

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"More genes with different roles gives an organism added complexity and opens the door to diversification and the creation of new species."

By tracing back through the evolutionary tree for flowering plants, the researchers calculate the gene duplication took place about 120 million years ago. But the mutation which separates how snapdragons and rock cress use this extra gene happened about 20 million years later.

"Our research is an excellent example of how a chance imperfection sparks evolutionary change. If we lived in a perfect world, it would be a much less interesting one, with no diversity and no chance for new species to develop."