Rapid genome changes and gene co-option help explain the evolution of seeds

Nature · Published 2 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Researchers who assembled the genome of the model fern Ceratopteris richardii found that its genetic material has been reshaped at a surprisingly fast pace. Since the genome doubled in size roughly 60 million years ago, the fern has lost huge numbers of genes, built up tandem copies of others, and even picked up new defence-related genes from bacteria.

Gene-family comparisons suggest that the genes which direct seed formation in flowering plants were originally borrowed from genes that control spore-producing structures in ferns, offering a clue to how seed plants evolved.

The team based these findings on a single chromosome-level genome assembly plus matching data on gene activity, chemical marks on DNA, and small molecules, so the picture reflects one fern species rather than ferns in general. They also found that transposable elements lodged inside introns are behind the genome's unusually large size and long genes.

Why it matters: Studying one fern's genome offers clues about how ferns evolve rapidly and how seed plants may have repurposed genetic tools from their spore-making ancestors.

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