Danforth Plant Science Center Co-Authors Study Rewriting Early History of Grasses
An international team of scientists, including Donald Danforth Plant Science Center Member Emerita Elizabeth “Toby” Kellogg, PhD, has published a study in Nature Communications that provides a new understanding of the earliest evolution of grasses. The research involved producing a chromosome-level genome assembly of *Streptochaeta spicata*, a tropical grass whose lineage branched off near the base of the grass family tree. This pivotal position offers researchers an exceptionally clear view into the genome of the common ancestor of all living grasses. Grasses are the world's most economically important plant family, encompassing major food crops like rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, barley, and sugarcane. By comparing the *Streptochaeta* genome with others across the grass family, the team uncovered new evidence about ancient genetic events that shaped all living grasses, offering a clearer picture of their evolution and diversification. Dr. Kellogg noted that all grasses bear the footprint of a time when the...
