POLYPLOIDY & ADAPTATION

Polyploid organisms have more than two sets of chromosomes as a result of a whole-genome duplication or a whole-genome hybridization. Polyploidy is often associated with extreme environments, where it can be triggered by external stress and in case of a successful establishment, can provide an adaptive advantage in harsh conditions. At the same time, the establishment of polyploid populations includes cellular adaptation to another extreme condition — polyploidy itself. We study the interplay between adaptation and polyploidy to understand molecular mechanisms of adaptation to doubled genomes, genomic and organismal consequences of polyploidization, and its ecological importance.