"Bizarre Plant Parasite Unveils Mind-Boggling Genome"
A team of scientists led by geneticist Xiaoli Chen has discovered that the parasitic plant Balanophora has optimized its living strategy by pruning nearly a third of its genome. Unlike other plant parasites, Balanophora mingles its flesh with its host's vascular system underground, resulting in a chimeric structure where genetic material from both organisms commingles. The reduction in Balanophora's genome closely resembles that of another parasitic plant genus, Sapria, indicating convergent evolution. Both parasites have lost genes related to photosynthesis but retained genes for metabolism. The study provides insights into the genetic mechanisms behind the dependency of parasitic plants on their hosts and how they manipulate host plants to survive.