The Versatile Roles of Mobile Genetic Elements in Evolution, Growth, Development, and Stress Adaptation of Plants

The transfer of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) to plants could be ancient events or recurrent events. Examples of MGEs include plasmids, transposons, tiny RNAs, and prophages. MGEs could be transferred to plants from plants or species of other kingdoms such as fungi and bacteria.

Genomic and transcriptomic studies in various species have enabled the identification of the origin of DNA and RNA fragments. Ancient MGE transfers to plant genomes possibly enabled the gain of adaptation to the niche and drove the evolution of plants. In the natural environment, plants constantly interact with species of other kingdoms such as fungi and bacteria. The inter-kingdom MGE transfer to plants mediates plant-fungus and plant-bacterium interactions, which could be pathogenic or beneficial to plants. Research on MGE transfer to plants will facilitate the understanding on the evolution of plants as well as the interaction between plants and other species in the natural environment. The knowledge will be useful for promoting plant growth, development, and stress adaptation.

This research topic aims to gather research papers and review papers to gain insight of the future research direction. The following sub-topics are welcome:

• Bioinformatic research on DNA sequencing or RNA sequencing for revealing MGE transfers to plants

• Studies of MGE transfers to plants during evolution

• Mechanistic studies on the transfer of MGEs to plants

• Functional studies of the MGEs transferred to plants

• Functional studies of genes regulating the MGE transfer to plants

Keywords: mobile genetic element, evolution, plant-fungus interaction, plant-bacterium interaction, stress adaptation, Society Affiliation RT

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