The role of hybridization in plant speciation.

The importance of hybridization in plant speciation and evolution has been debated for decades, with opposing views of hybridization as either a creative evolutionary force or evolutionary noise. Hybrid speciation may occur at either the homoploid (i.e., between two species of the same ploidy) or the polyploid level, each with its attendant genetic and evolutionary consequences. Whereas allopolyploidy (i.e., resulting from hybridization and genome doubling) has long been recognized as an important mode of plant speciation, the implications of genome duplication have typically not been taken into account in most fields of plant biology. Recent developments in genomics are revolutionizing our views of angiosperm genomes, demonstrating that perhaps all angiosperms have likely undergone at least one round of polyploidization and that hybridization has been an important force in generating angiosperm species diversity. Hybridization and polyploid formation continue to generate species diversity, with several new allopolyploids having originated just within the past century or so. The origins of polyploid species-whether via hybridization between species or between genetically differentiated populations of a single species-and the immediate genetic consequences of polyploid formation are therefore receiving enthusiastic attention. The time is therefore right for a review of the role of hybridization in plant speciation.

Soltis PS ，Soltis DE 《-》

Genetic divergence and hybrid speciation.

Chapman MA ，Burke JM 《EVOLUTION》

Does hybridization between divergent progenitors drive whole-genome duplication?

Buggs RJ ，Soltis PS ，Soltis DE 《-》

Evolution of duplicate gene expression in polyploid and hybrid plants.

Allopolyploidy is a prominent mode of speciation in flowering plants. On allopolyploidy, genomic changes can take place, including chromosomal rearrangement and changes in gene expression; these processes continue over evolutionary time. Recent studies of gene expression in polyploid and hybrid plants, reviewed here, have examined expression in natural polyploids and synthetic neopolyploids as well as in diploid and F(1) hybrids. Considerable changes in gene expression have been observed in allopolyploids, including up- or downregulation of expression in the polyploids compared with their parents, unequal expression of duplicated genes, and silencing of one copy. Genes in a variety of functional categories show altered expression, and the patterns vary considerably by gene. Some changes seem to be stochastic, whereas others are repeatable. Gene expression changes can be organ specific. Reciprocal silencing of duplicates in different organs has been observed, suggesting subfunctionalization and long-term retention of duplicates. It has become clear that hybridization has a much greater effect than chromosome doubling on gene expression in allopolyploids. Diploid and triploid F(1) hybrids can show alterations of expression levels compared with their parents. Parent-of-origin effects on gene expression have been examined, and loss of gene imprinting has been shown. Some gene expression changes in polyploids and hybrids can be correlated with phenotypic effects. Demonstrated mechanisms of gene expression changes include DNA methylation, histone modifications, and antisense RNA. Several hypotheses have been proposed for why gene expression is altered in allopolyploids and hybrids.

Adams KL 《JOURNAL OF HEREDITY》

Genomic plasticity and the diversity of polyploid plants.

Polyploidy, a change whereby the entire chromosome set is multiplied, arises through mitotic or meiotic misdivisions and frequently involves unreduced gametes and interspecific hybridization. The success of newly formed angiosperm polyploids is partly attributable to their highly plastic genome structure, as manifested by tolerance to changing chromosome numbers (aneuploidy and polyploidy), genome size, (retro)transposable element mobility, insertions, deletions, and epigenome restructuring. The ability to withstand large-scale changes, frequently within one or a few generations, is associated with a restructuring of the transcriptome, metabolome, and proteome and can result in an altered phenotype and ecology. Thus, polyploid-induced changes can generate individuals that are able to exploit new niches or to outcompete progenitor species. This process has been a major driving force behind the divergence of the angiosperms and their biodiversity.

Leitch AR ，Leitch IJ 《-》