ARS | Publication request: EXAMPLES OF GENOME EVOLUTION IN POLYPLIODS WHERE BIGGER IS BETTER

Submitted to: American Society of Horticulture Science Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: February 15, 2006
Publication Date: November 15, 2006
Citation: Rinehart, T.A. 2006. Examples of genome evolution in polypliods where bigger is better. American Society of Horticulture Science Meeting, Vol. 131, 787-797.

Technical Abstract: Polyploids created by different methods exhibit a range of phenotypic changes and highlight the impact of genetic diversity on ornamental plant breeding. The effects of genome doubling are typically highly visible and include larger flowers, short internodes, stronger stems, thicker leaves, and larger cell sizes. Autopolyploids and allopolyploids typically show different trends in altered morphology and differences in fertility. Not surprisingly, new genomes are often unstable and survivorship is uncertain with some effects immediate while other effects are generational. Molecular evidence suggests gene elimination, diversification, silencing, and epigenetic effects such as chromsome repatterning are responsible for most phenotypic changes. Interestingly, large cell sizes are also common to DNA endoreduplication, a form of nuclear polyploidization that is responsible for tissue-specific modifications.