Plastid inheritance
After millions of years of endosymbiosis, the once free-living cyanobacteria, now the plastids, still carry their own genomes that encode essential proteins for photosynthesis. The proper inheritance of plastids across generations is of utmost importance, because the de novo biogenesis of these organelles is not possible. Unlike nuclear genomes, which are inherited from both parents, plastid genomes in most plant species are inherited exclusively from the mother. This phenomenon, known as maternal inheritance, was identified decades ago, yet the underlying mechanisms remain largely elusive. Our research stems from this fundamental question:
“What drives maternal inheritance?”
Identification of genes involved in regulating plastid inheritance using forward and reverse genetics
Exploration of alternative modes of plastid inheritance across different plant species