Claim: White flower has world's longest genome -- fifty times a big as a human's

[Elmore Furth]

I guess human's aren't in the running for the largest genome, even though they are at the apex of evolutionary egotism.

By RAPHAEL G. SATTER, Associated Press Writer Raphael G. Satter, Associated Press Writer – Thu Oct 7, 5:43 pm ET
LONDON – An ordinary-looking white flower from Japan may carry something quite extraordinary within its pale petals — the longest genome ever discovered.

Researchers at London's Kew Gardens said Thursday they'd discovered that the Paris japonica has a genetic code 50 times longer than that of a human being. The length of that code easily beats its nearest competitor, a long-bodied muck dweller known as the marbled lungfish.

Leitch and her colleagues suspected the plant might have an larger-than-usual genetic code as its relatives have rather large ones too. But the sheer size of this flower's genome caught them by surprise. If laid end-to-end it would stretch to more than 300 feet.

The human genome, for example, has about 3 million bases and measures about 6 feet in length. The marbled lungfish has a whopping 130 million bases. And the 12-inch (30-centimeter) flower studied by Leitch turns out to have 150 million.


Claim: White flower has world's longest genome

[sakabatou]

1. I thought the world's longest went to the amoeba.

Well, maybe world's longest in the plant world.

[Thor_MN]

3. Plant? Amoeba?

I know they have reclassified somethings since I was in school, but I'm thinking that Plant and Amoeba still don't intersect.

[sakabatou]

5. They don't.

Completely different kingdoms.

[Peace Patriot]

2. And they don't have a clue WHY.

I sense a great science fiction story in here somewhere, about the aliens who messed with our DNA (making us sentient) having some creative writers amongst them who couldn't resist leaving a lo-o-o-o-o epic poem for earthlings some day to decode, should our brain DNA work out as planned, and should we ever focus our attention on the Paris japonica.

All that "junk" DNA that they say is making Paris japonica's genome so long but which has no function is actually a sort of "blank verse," such as Shakespeare employed, which, when translated, means, essentially, after all the pointless wars that the aliens almost didn't survive, and all the exploits of all the pointless war heroes, meeting cyclops and sirens on their pointless journeys home: "Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

Yup. Joke's on us.

[Recursion]

4. DNA is a remarkably inefficient way to encode information

If an alien race were writing an epic poem I would hope they would use a better system.

[Dover]

6. Very slow to grow and apparently very particular. It's tough to be unique...lol.

Paris japonica
Although not a difficult plant to grow Paris japonica has a behaviour all its own and very distinct preferences. If you ignore these then you may get a dormant rhizome that does not die, but does not leaf up. Take some notice and you will be rewarded with a 30cm tall plant. Combine its preferences and you will get an 80cm specimen that will take your breath away! It is the attention to detail that produces those clumps that you see in photographs.

Firstly it is fully cold hardy and indeed likes to be grown cool, not hot. If anyone says otherwise, then I suggest that it is more to explain the loss of a plant, perhaps over winter, or perhaps missing in spring, rather than the first hand observation of a plant killed by cold - that just does not happen.

It likes full or part shade, and humidity, it dislikes dry air and direct sun. It prefers plenty of humus in the soil and an acid to neutral soil. It dislikes limey soils and will not thrive in clay over limestone. It likes water but it dislikes bad drainage or over-dry soils. That behaviour all of its own that I mentioned? Well Paris, at the best of times, may not appear above ground in their first two or three years after planting. This is frustrating but it is normal behaviour for the genus. In the case of Paris japonica two years is a short wait, three or even four might be normal, yes really. During this time the plant puts down its few, thick, brittle roots, and until it has roots to take up water, it will not make leaves or flowers to lose water!

During the settling in period each well-meaning poke, or lifting for examination, will break the roots or root initials, and set the plant back even further. Lifting it to check can only damage the plant, the roots and the new shoots. We call this 'finger blight' in the office and it is the main cause of problems.

Paris japonica is a plant for the very patient gardener, with faith. It is at the opposite end of the spectrum to bedding annuals, it is not instant, nor even quick, but very very slow. Put it in the ground, about 5-10cm deep. It may not have a well-developed shoot on receipt but if it does, and if this is long, keep the rhizome at the depth advised with the shoot showing above the soil surface. It is best in a damp, well-drained, humus-rich soil in light shade. Never, ever pot it, not even in its first season just to make sure (second only to finger blight in gardener-related problems) then leave it alone, don't lift it to check and in time you will be rewarded with a gorgeous plant.

http://rareplants.co.uk/page.asp?id=parisjapon