Autopolyploidiaks

Autopolyploidiaks, commonly referred to in English as autopolyploids, are polyploid organisms whose multiple chromosome sets originate from duplication of the genome within a single species. They possess more than two homologous copies of each chromosome, which affects how their chromosomes pair and segregate during meiosis. In many autopolyploids, chromosomes can pair in various ways (multivalents), leading to polysomic or tetrasomic inheritance. This can cause reduced fertility due to abnormal gamete formation, but fertility can be restored over time or after further genome changes through diploidization or additional duplications.

Autopolyploidy arises when genome duplication occurs within a species, often through the formation of unreduced gametes, or through somatic genome doubling followed by the production of viable gametes. It can also be induced in the laboratory using chemicals such as colchicine to double the chromosome number. Environmental stresses can contribute to events that favor genome duplication.

In evolution and breeding, autopolyploids can exhibit larger cell size, increased vigor, and sometimes distinct morphological traits. They contribute to speciation by creating reproductive barriers with diploid relatives and can be valuable in agriculture, where autopolyploid crops such as autotetraploid potato and alfalfa are used for desirable traits. Autopolyploids are more common in plants than in animals; in animals, autopolyploidy is rarer and often associated with reduced fertility.

Detection and study of autopolyploidiaks typically involve chromosome counting, flow cytometry to assess DNA content, and molecular markers to characterize chromosome behavior and inheritance patterns.