The New Caledonian fork fern, Tmesipteris oblanceolata, has the largest known genome of any living organism.
The Giant Genome of Tmesipteris oblanceolata
This unassuming fern boasts a genome containing a staggering 160 billion base pairs—the building blocks of DNA. To put this into perspective, the human genome contains only about 3 billion base pairs. This means Tmesipteris oblanceolata has over 50 times more DNA in each cell than humans. Its DNA, if stretched out, would measure approximately 100 meters long! This discovery shattered previous records held by other plants, such as Paris japonica. The reasons behind this exceptionally large genome remain a mystery to scientists.
Multiple sources confirm this finding:
- BBC News: Reported the fern's record-breaking genome size in May 2024. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cl44g57jv4mo
- CNN: Detailed the discovery and its implications in June 2024. https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/07/science/largest-genome-fern-plant-scn/index.html
- Nature: Published an article highlighting the fern's immense genome. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01567-7
- Phys.org: Also reported on the fern's record-breaking DNA in May 2024. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-tiny-fern-largest-genome-earth.html
- Science: Highlighted the surprising discovery and the ongoing research to understand the reasons behind the large genome size. https://www.science.org/content/article/unassuming-fern-has-largest-known-genome-and-no-one-knows-why
