Evolution can cause major genome differences in similar species

http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2011/04/22/evolution_can_cause_a_rapid_reduction_in_genome_size.html

A study has shown that two very similar plants are actually very different when it comes to their genomes. The two plants in question, the Thale cress and the Lyre-leaved rock cress, are known to have a shared ancestor, but around the million years ago their evolution changed. The Thale cress has roughly 125 million base pairs, while the Lyre-leaved rock cress has 207 million. Although there is this much difference in number of genetic code, the rock cress only has about 5000 more genes than the Thale cress. With that much genetic code variation, you would expect the difference in the plants to be major, but this study showed that isn't necessarily true.

I liked this article because it was interesting. A group of people felt that it was necessary to delve deeper than the surface to find something out that most would not assume to be true. I don't know that this study will cause any large impact on our future knowledge or information, but it was interesting to read about. I would not have expected that two very similar plants would be so different, or that it would even matter that they evolve so differently in their environments. We obviously need to continue research in the study of genetics to find out as much as we can about the world we live in.

~Will Hart