Polyploidy is lethal in organisms with delicate chromosomal dosage balances
the verdict
REFUTED
the evidence says no
confidence 4/100
Polyploidy is not inherently lethal; whole-genome duplication preserves relative gene stoichiometry and is widely successful in many plant species. In contrast, it is aneuploidy (imbalanced chromosome dosage) that typically causes severe phenotypic and physiological disruption.
Evidence against · 8
Polyploidy in the Ginger Family from Thailand
2020 · cited by 4
Demonstrates that polyploidy is common and viable in the ginger family, with many natural and cultivated polyploid taxa.
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More against · 7
Polyploidy: Incidence, Types, and Modes of Establishment
2002 · cited by 2
Notes that polyploidy is a widespread and successful evolutionary phenomenon across 30% to over 40% of angiosperms.
The Unique Existence of Chromosomal Abnormalities in Polyploidy Plants
2022 · cited by 0
Shows that polyploid plants are viable, highly successful, and drive ecological adaptation and speciation.
Chromosomal evolution and polyploidy dynamics in tribe Andropogoneae (Poaceae: Panicoideae): insights from phylogenomic reconstruction
2025 · cited by 0
Indicates that polyploidy occurs frequently and is successfully maintained across a large tribe of grasses.
The Gene Balance Hypothesis: Epigenetics and Dosage Effects in Plants.
2020 · cited by 0
Explains that changing the whole genome in a polyploidy series has relatively minor effects because overall gene stoichiometry is preserved, unlike in aneuploidy.
The Gene Balance Hypothesis: dosage effects in plants.
2014 · cited by 0
Contrasts the severe disruptions of aneuploidy with whole-genome duplication (polyploidy), noting that polyploidy generally avoids stoichiometric collapse.
MicroRNAs play regulatory roles in genomic balance.
2023 · cited by 0
Points out that whole-genome duplication (polyploidy) has far fewer detrimental effects than aneuploidy because gene balance is maintained.
Dosage-sensitive miRNAs trigger modulation of gene expression during genomic imbalance in maize.
2022 · cited by 0
Confirms that polyploids show much less differential gene and microRNA expression disruption than aneuploids do.