News Excerpt:
A fern growing on a remote Pacific island has broken the Guinness World Record for having the largest genome of any organism on Earth.
More about News:
- A fern species native to the archipelago of New Caledonia in the southwest Pacific Ocean has shattered the Guinness World Record for the largest genome on Earth.
- This remarkable fern, known as Tmesipteris oblanceolata, boasts a staggering genome size of 160 gigabase pairs (Gbp),
- The fern surpasses the previous record holder, the Japanese flowering plant Paris japonica, by 7 per cent.
- The human genome, with a relatively modest size of approximately 3.1 gigabase pairs (Gbp) provides a striking contrast to the colossal genomes found in these fern.
- The researcher at the UK's Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and co-author of the study, expressed astonishment at finding something even bigger than Paris japonica.
- A research team traveled to the island of Grand Terre in 2023 and collaborated with local scientists for the study.
- Leitch argues that having a large genome is generally disadvantageous, as it requires larger cells and complex DNA replication processes.
- Plants with large genomes face challenges in growth and reproduction due to the extensive genetic material to be copied.
- Research suggests a correlation between genome size and plant adaptability to environmental stress.
- Scientists are uncertain about the role of much of the DNA in such large genomes, often labeling it as "junk DNA," but Leitch suggests it could have undiscovered functions.
