The New Caledonian fork fern ( Tmesipteris oblanceolate) currently holds the record for having the longest DNA.
The Record-Breaking Genome
This unassuming fern boasts a genome size of a staggering 160 billion base pairs. To put this into perspective:
- The human genome contains approximately three billion base pairs.
- The fern's genome is over 50 times larger than the human genome.
- If unwound, the fern's DNA would stretch to about 100 meters, compared to the human genome's approximately two meters.
Several sources confirm this remarkable finding:
- The BBC reported on this discovery, highlighting the fern's record-breaking genome size. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cl44g57jv4mo
- CNN also covered the story, emphasizing the fern's significantly larger genome compared to other organisms. https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/07/science/largest-genome-fern-plant-scn/index.html
- Science magazine further details the discovery, noting the surprising size and the lack of understanding behind the reason for such a large genome. https://www.science.org/content/article/unassuming-fern-has-largest-known-genome-and-no-one-knows-why
While other organisms, such as the lungfish, have large genomes (43 billion base pairs), the New Caledonian fork fern significantly surpasses them in DNA length. Previous claims of the largest genome belonged to Paris japonica, but the Tmesipteris oblanceolate has since been confirmed to be larger.
