Plants evolved from terrestrial unicellular algae that was able to modify soils.

What is it about?

Simple unicellular algae from a group called Charophyta have all the genes to make and metabolize xyloglucan, a polysaccharide that higher plants produce in their roots to interact with soils. This is a interesting evidence that suggests that the ancestors of these algae evolved on land environments. One implication is that plants, that are thought to be descendants of charophytes, probably evolved directly on land from unicellular charophytes.

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Why is it important?

This is a new evidence that suggests land plants evolved directly on land environments from terrestrial algae ancestors. The ability of these early terrestrial algae to modify soils was probably a key step in the conquest of land.

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