DNA analysis uncovers first known genetic connection between rare New Caledonian plant and parasitic plant
A new genetic analysis tool developed by UF assistant professor of biology Liming Cai, Ph.D., has led to the discovery of the first known interaction between Amborella, a rare New Caledonian plant, and a parasitic plant called Hachettea.
A groundbreaking genetic analysis tool developed by a UF assistant professor of biology has revealed a first-of-its-kind connection between a rare New Caledonian plant, Amborella, and a parasitic plant known as Hachettea. The tool, named HGTScanner, was created by the researcher Liming Cai and her postdoctoral researcher Rachel Cohen to identify horizontal gene transfer (HGT) - the process of genes passing between unrelated species - in plants.
HGTScanner analyzed existing samples of Amborella and found alien DNA originating from Hachettea, making it the first genetic evidence of an interaction between the two species. The discovery, published in Methods in Ecology and Evolution, was made while Cai and Cohen were testing their HGTScanner on public DNA databases. The interaction between Amborella and Hachettea is significant because it provides insight into the evolution and ecology of interactions between parasites and their hosts.
The discovery was made using DNA samples, which could have been used by anyone, demonstrating the potential of HGTScanner to make similar discoveries while saving time, money, and resources for future fieldwork.
Written by urgent.news from Phys.org's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
