Desert algae shed light on desiccation tolerance in green plants

Deserts of the US Southwest are extreme habitats for most plants, but, remarkably, microscopic green algae live there that are extraordinarily tolerant of dehydration. After completely drying out, the algae can become active and start photosynthesizing again within seconds of receiving a drop of water. Elena Peredo and Zoe Cardon of the Marine Biological Laboratory provide a genetic explanation for the algae's resilience, a new perspective that warrants investigation in plants more generally.