The paper we discussed today in the journal club is a topic that has always been very fascinating. Polyploidy, especially speciation driven by polyploidy is thought to be very common among plants. Janaki Ammal, "attributes the higher rate of plant speciation in the northeast Himalayas compared to the northwest to polyploidy" in her paper : The effect of the Himalayan uplift on the genetic composition of the flora of Asia. Infact, a lot of work done by her revolves around polyploidy. Some of this work is fascinating and seems relevant even today. One could continue her research program today and still be very current.
Coming back to the paper, it is yeast not plants. It makes it easier to study due to the ease of manipulation. Title of the paper is "Experimental Evolution Reveals Interplay between Sch9 and Polyploid Stability in Yeast". After constructing the strains, experimental evolution was conducted for 1000 generations to evolve the required strains. All that is needed for figure 1 and 7 is flow cytometry. Figure 3 and 5 are both relative fitness assay's and seem doable but need a lot of work. However, figure 2 and 4 need a array platform and might be out of reach.
The fact that they are able to pin down the the Sch9 gene and the TORC pathway takes the paper to the next level. Although it is not clear what the mechanism is or how general and widespread this pathway can be in stabilizing polyploidy. It would of course be interesting to see if the natural polyplod isolates from the evolution canyon show changes in this very pathway.
Coming back to the paper, it is yeast not plants. It makes it easier to study due to the ease of manipulation. Title of the paper is "Experimental Evolution Reveals Interplay between Sch9 and Polyploid Stability in Yeast". After constructing the strains, experimental evolution was conducted for 1000 generations to evolve the required strains. All that is needed for figure 1 and 7 is flow cytometry. Figure 3 and 5 are both relative fitness assay's and seem doable but need a lot of work. However, figure 2 and 4 need a array platform and might be out of reach.
The fact that they are able to pin down the the Sch9 gene and the TORC pathway takes the paper to the next level. Although it is not clear what the mechanism is or how general and widespread this pathway can be in stabilizing polyploidy. It would of course be interesting to see if the natural polyplod isolates from the evolution canyon show changes in this very pathway.
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