A recent study has shown exciting progress in understanding the evolutionary jump in complexity that allowed angiosperms to become the most diverse group of plants on Earth. Researchers have discovered how the process of biosynthesis produces a pollen coat precursor that is essential for the successful pollination of angiosperms.

By studying two closely related moss species, the team was able to demonstrate that angiosperms have a unique biosynthetic mechanism that produces a compound called sporopollenin. This compound is essential for the formation of a protective coat around the pollen grain, which is necessary for successful pollination. This discovery is the first step in understanding how angiosperms evolved to become the most successful plant group on our planet.

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source: Phys.org