The advantages and disadvantages of being polyploid

Abstract

Polyploids - organisms that have multiple sets of chromosomes - are common in certain plant and animal taxa, and can be surprisingly stable. The evidence that has emerged from genome analyses also indicates that many other eukaryotic genomes have a polyploid ancestry, suggesting that both humans and most other eukaryotes have either benefited from or endured polyploidy. Studies of polyploids soon after their formation have revealed genetic and epigenetic interactions between redundant genes. These interactions can be related to the phenotypes and evolutionary fates of polyploids. Here, I consider the advantages and challenges of polyploidy, and its evolutionary potential.

Transformation, genomic instability and senescence mediated by platelet/megakaryocyte glycoprotein Ibα

“…These tumors, along with in vitro maintained cells, eventually reacquired apparently diploid genomes (Figures 2b and c), suggesting that long-term tetraploidy is actually detrimental (Andalis et al, 2004;Comai, 2005;Storchova et al, 2006). Our finding that (c) The Oncomine database was queried for DNA microarray studies documenting the overexpression of GpIba in primary human tumor samples.…”

Evolutionary history of two divergent Dmrt1 genes reveals two rounds of polyploidy origins in gibel carp

“…Thus, the late polyploidy might possess an extra evolutionary advantage for the hexaploid with more genome flexibility to adapt and persist across the high-altitude and the coldclimate landscapes. Obviously, since the two rounds of polyploidy events involve several additional sets of chromosomes and bring into additional sets of genes, the hexaploid ancestor of gibel carp should provide redundant raw materials for functional divergence and innovation (Comai, 2005;Ding et al, 2012;Liu et al, 2009;Otto, 2007). Of course, a more comprehensive field survey and a more thorough investigation will help to understand the ecological adaptation mechanism on evolutionary consequences of polyploidy.…”

Simultaneous Mendelian and clonal genome transmission in a sexually reproducing, all-triploid vertebrate

“…Bisexual reproduction of pure triploids is constrained because of the problem of equally distributing three chromosome sets in meiosis [17], for a review see [18]. Hybrids in Poeciliopis, for instance, are hybridogenetic in their diploid forms, but become gynogenetic as triploids [19,20].…”