Polyploidy is lethal in organisms with delicate chromosomal dosage balances
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.
The claim states that polyploidy is lethal in organisms with delicate chromosomal dosage balances. However, the retrieved literature distinguishes clearly between polyploidy (duplication of entire sets of chromosomes) and aneuploidy (partial or unbalanced chromosome changes). Papers like [4], [5], [7], and [10] explicitly state that whole-genome polyploidy has far fewer detrimental effects than aneuploidy because gene stoichiometry is maintained. Furthermore, papers [0], [1], [2], and [3] demonstrate that polyploidy is widely prevalent, viable, and a major engine of evolution in flowering plants. Thus, the claim is refuted.
Kesara Anamthawat-Jónsson, Puangpaka Umpunjun. Polyploidy in the Ginger Family from Thailand. 2020. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92859
Demonstrates that polyploidy is common and viable in the ginger family, with many natural and cultivated polyploid taxa.
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Donald A Levin. Polyploidy: Incidence, Types, and Modes of Establishment. 2002. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780195138597.003.006
Notes that polyploidy is a widespread and successful evolutionary phenomenon across 30% to over 40% of angiosperms.
Van Hieu Pham. The Unique Existence of Chromosomal Abnormalities in Polyploidy Plants. 2022. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.99821
Shows that polyploid plants are viable, highly successful, and drive ecological adaptation and speciation.
Ana Tereza Hesse Bispo, Christian Silva, Cassiano A. Dorneles Welker. Chromosomal evolution and polyploidy dynamics in tribe Andropogoneae (Poaceae: Panicoideae): insights from phylogenomic reconstruction. 2025. https://doi.org/10.64898/2025.12.09.693223
Indicates that polyploidy occurs frequently and is successfully maintained across a large tribe of grasses.
Xiaowen Shi, Chen Chen, Hua Yang, Jie Hou, Tieming Ji, Jianlin Cheng, Reiner A Veitia, James A Birchler. The Gene Balance Hypothesis: Epigenetics and Dosage Effects in Plants.. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-0179-2_12
Explains that changing the whole genome in a polyploidy series has relatively minor effects because overall gene stoichiometry is preserved, unlike in aneuploidy.
James A Birchler, Reiner A Veitia. The Gene Balance Hypothesis: dosage effects in plants.. 2014. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-773-0_2
Contrasts the severe disruptions of aneuploidy with whole-genome duplication (polyploidy), noting that polyploidy generally avoids stoichiometric collapse.
Xiaowen Shi, Hua Yang, James A Birchler. MicroRNAs play regulatory roles in genomic balance.. 2023. https://doi.org/10.1002/bies.202200187
Points out that whole-genome duplication (polyploidy) has far fewer detrimental effects than aneuploidy because gene balance is maintained.
Xiaowen Shi, Hua Yang, Chen Chen, Jie Hou, Tieming Ji, Jianlin Cheng, James A Birchler. Dosage-sensitive miRNAs trigger modulation of gene expression during genomic imbalance in maize.. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-30704-x
Confirms that polyploids show much less differential gene and microRNA expression disruption than aneuploids do.
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