Chinese Bulletin of Botany ›› 2007, Vol. 24 ›› Issue (01): 42-48.

Special Issue: 植物进化发育专辑 (2007年24卷1期)

• 综述 • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Flowers, Genes, and Poaceae

Guisheng Li, Mingsheng Chen   

  1. Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
  • Received:2006-09-07 Revised:2006-11-17 Online:2007-01-01 Published:2007-01-01
  • Contact: Guisheng Li

Abstract: A major task of evolutionary developmental biology is to explore the molecular basis of morphological diversity. The research in this area involves three elements: morphology, genes relevant to morphological development, and taxa encompassing certain morphology. Flowers/inflorescences are the primary research subject in evolutionary developmental biology, and their morphological evolution can be studied by integrating analyses of phylogeny reconstruction and developmental dissection. The evolution of genes relevant to development is represented by genetic or epigenetic mutations in allelic genes, the birth-and-death evolution of gene families, and unique genes possessed by different genomes. Approaches beginning with morphology or sequencing gene evolution in flower evolution have been greatly used in the study of Poaceae. This review attempts to outline the plant evolutionary developmental biology of Poaceae in terms of disciplinary issues, strategic approaches and specific cases.