Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 4 — Narrative / commentaryPeer-reviewed

Cis-regulatory dynamics in plant domestication

Xiang Li, Robert J. Schmitz

Trends in Genetics · 2025

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Summary

This review synthesises current understanding of how cis-regulatory dynamics — changes in DNA sequences that control gene expression without altering protein-coding regions — contribute to plant domestication. As suggested by recent literature (circa 2025), regulatory mutations appear to be a significant mechanism underlying the phenotypic changes in cultivated crops relative to wild progenitors, complementing or sometimes substituting for protein-coding mutations. The paper likely contextualises these molecular findings within agronomic trait selection and crop evolution.

UK applicability

The mechanistic insights into cis-regulatory control of crop traits may inform UK crop improvement programmes and genomic selection strategies. However, as a review of fundamental molecular mechanisms rather than agronomic outcome data, direct application to UK farming practice or policy would require downstream translation research.

Key measures

Cis-regulatory element sequence variation, gene expression patterns, phenotypic trait associations with regulatory mutations

Outcomes reported

The paper examines how changes in cis-regulatory regions (DNA sequences controlling gene expression) drive phenotypic changes during plant domestication. It synthesises evidence on the role of regulatory mutations in shaping crop traits selected during domestication.

Theme
General food systems / other
Subject
Other / interdisciplinary
Study type
Narrative Review
Study design
Narrative review
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
Geography
Global
System type
Laboratory / in vitro
DOI
10.1016/j.tig.2025.02.005
Catalogue ID
SNmoqqtc08-fv13hy

Topic tags

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