The Moss () : A Model Organism for Non-Seed Plants.

Since the discovery two decades ago that transgenes are efficiently integrated into the genome of by homologous recombination, this moss has been a premier model system to study evolutionary developmental biology questions, stem cell reprogramming, and the biology of nonvascular plants. was the first non-seed plant to have its genome sequenced. With this level of genomic information, together with increasing molecular genetic tools, a large number of reverse genetic studies have propelled the use of this model system. A number of technological advances have recently opened the door to forward genetics as well as extremely efficient and precise genome editing in Additionally, careful phylogenetic studies with increased resolution have suggested that emerged from within Thus, rather than , the species should be named Here we review these advances and describe the areas where has had the most impact on plant biology.