Effect of polyploidy on plant genome biodiversity and evolution – Polyploidie

Polyploidy, that gives rise to organisms with multiple haploid sets of chromosomes, has played a prominent and pervasive role in plant evolution and domestication. Polyploidy has profound impacts on biodiversity dynamics and ecosystem functioning because whole genome duplications are accompagnied with important genomic and epigenetic changes that result in novel phenotypes.
This project aims to uncover molecular mechanisms responsible for the evolutionary success of polyploid plants of hybrid origin (allopolyploids). Our objectives are to gather complementary expertises in genetics, cytogenetics, genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, breeding, systematics, ecology and evolution and to federate investigations among research groups from different French institutions in coordination with international efforts in the field.
We propose to explore short and long term changes in genome structure, meiotic behavior and gene expression that come along with the formation and evolution of allopolyploid species and generate diversity at all biological levels. We will use ecologically important (invasive Spartina) and economically important (Wheat, Oilseed rape, Tobacco) models that display complementary biological features. We will analyse the extent to which polyploid genomes are dynamic and variable and examine in details some of the mechanisms that have been proposed as key-players in the evolution of polyploid genomes such as transposable elements or recombination.
Our project will provide a comprehensive survey of gene expression and genome changes accompanying polyploid evolution. Most importantly, it should give insights into the mechanisms that contribute to speciation, adaptation, invasiveness and therefore to the dynamics of ecosystem and to their predictable fate.