ALLOPOLYPLOIDYa shaping force

in the evolution
of wheat genome
M.Feldman and A.A Levy
(2005)

Asuncion, A., Bose, H.A., Lorido, D.C.

ALLOPOLYPLOIDY

two or more different genomes are brought together into

nucleus by intergeneric hybridization followed by chromosome
doubling
common in crop plants
Evolution of vascular plants

WHEAT
Three major groups:
Einkorn
Emmer
Dinkel

WHEAT

THE IMPACT

Creates considerable stress in plant

Inter-generic shock
Chromosome doubling
Changes facilitated by allopolyploidy

REVOLUTIONARY
1. Structural Changes (Cytological Diploidization)
elimination of non-coding, low-copy DNA
sequences in diploid species of Aegilops and
Triticum
- CSSs: occur in only one pair of chromosomes
- GSSs: occurs in several chromosome pairs in
one genome

REVOLUTIONARY
elimination of repetitive DNA sequences during the
allopolyploidization process
- the ploidy level and the direction of the cross did not
affect the the elimination pattern
- rearrangement of repetitive DNA were observed in
early stages
- total DNA content of several amphiploids was lower
than diploid parents

REVOLUTIONARY
elimination of a sequence from one genome in
tetraploid and two genomes in hexaploid
- increase in physical divergence between homologous
chromosomes
- provides physical basis for diploid-like meiotic behavior
- suppression of inter-genomic pairing and
recombination

REVOLUTIONARY
CSSs is involved in homology recognition and pairing
initiation at early stages of meiosis
genic system

REVOLUTIONARY
2. Functional Changes (Genetic Diploidization)
inter-genomic suppression
- disappearance of a storage protein subunit was
observed upon formation of allohexaploid
- suppression was reversible
- silencing

REVOLUTIONARY
dosage compensation
- in storage proteins: instant reaction to changes in doses
expression of novel traits that do not exist in parental
diploids
-great adaptive value

REVOLUTIONARY
Generalization
Allopolyploidization triggers gene silencing, gene
elimination and gene activation via genetic and
epigentic alterations immediately upon allopolyploid
formation.
Gene activation is less frequent and involves mostly
transposons.
All the mentioned respones to allopolyploidization
emphasize the plasticity of wheat genomes.

EVOLUTIONARY

CONCLUSION
Allopolyploidy has a great importance in the
origin of species.
Allopolyploid organisms are successful
species living in nature.
Revolutionary changes stabilize newly form
allopolyploid.
Evolutionary changes contribute to the build
up of genetic variability.