Abstract
Allopolyploid speciation is widespread in plants, yet the molecular requirements for successful orchestration of coordinated gene expression for two divergent and reunited genomes are poorly understood. Recent studies in several plant systems have revealed that allopolyploid genesis under both synthetic and natural conditions often is accompanied by rapid and sometimes evolutionarily conserved epigenetic changes, including alteration in cytosine methylation patterns, rapid silencing in ribosomal RNA and protein-coding genes, and de-repression of dormant transposable elements. These changes are inter-related and likely arise from chromatin remodeling and its effects on epigenetic codes during and subsequent to allopolyploid formation. Epigenetic modifications could produce adaptive epimutations and novel phenotypes, some of which may be evolutionarily stable for millions of years, thereby representing a vast reservoir of latent variation that may be episodically released and made visible to selection. This epigenetic variation may contribute to several important attributes of allopolyploidy, including functional diversification or subfunctionalization of duplicated genes, genetic and cytological diploidization, and quenching of incompatible inter-genomic interactions that are characteristic of allopolyploids. It is likely that the evolutionary success of allopolyploidy is in part attributable to epigenetic phenomena that we are only just beginning to understand.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.