
Genome archaeologists uncover the origin of a plant hormone. In their quest for the origin of the universal auxin hormone in plants, biochemists and bioinformaticists took on the mantle of archaeologists. Deep in the evolutionary history of plant life on earth, about a billion years ago, they came across the protein fragments that were already related to the plant hormone at that time. The journey of discovery reveals information that gives life scientists insight into evolution and which creates opportunities for plant breeders and prospects for growers. Source 9t.