The genome of the glasshouse plant noble rhubarb (Rheum nobile) provides a window into alpine adaptation.

ABSTRACT: Glasshouse plants are species that trap warmth via specialized morphology and physiology, mimicking a human glasshouse. In the Himalayan alpine region, the highly specialized glasshouse morphology has independently evolved in distinct lineages to adapt to intensive UV radiation and low temperature. Here we demonstrate that the glasshouse structure - specialized cauline leaves - is highly effective in absorbing UV light but transmitting visible and infrared light, creating an optimal microclimate for the development of reproductive organs. We reveal that this glasshouse syndrome has evolved at least three times independently in the rhubarb genus Rheum. We report the genome sequence of the flagship glasshouse plant Rheum nobile and identify key genetic network modules in association with the

SUBMITTER: Feng T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10333194 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature