Characterization of spa mutants in the moss Physcomitrella provides evidence for functional divergence of SPA genes during the evolution of land plants

What is it about?

The ability to adapt growth and development to the ambient light conditions is an important innovation during the successful evolution of plants. Recruitment of the plant-specific SPA proteins to the COP1 ubiquitin ligase may have been an important mechanism in this process. Here, we provide evidence that the activity of SPA proteins is divergent in the moss Physcomitrella when compared to Arabidopsis, though some of the molecular activities of SPA proteins are conserved.

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