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The emerging importance of cross-ploidy hybridisation and introgression
  • Max Brown,
  • Richard J Abbott,
  • Alex Twyford
Max Brown
The University of Edinburgh School of Biological Sciences
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Richard J Abbott
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Alex Twyford
The University of Edinburgh School of Biological Sciences

Corresponding Author:alex.twyford@ed.ac.uk

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Abstract

Natural hybridisation is now recognised as pervasive in its occurrence across the Tree of Life. Resurgent interest in natural hybridisation fuelled by developments in genomics has led to an improved understanding of the genetic factors that promote or prevent species cross-mating. Despite this body of work overturning many widely held assumptions about the genetic barriers to hybridisation, it is still widely thought that ploidy differences between species will be an absolute barrier to hybridisation and introgression. Here, we revisit this assumption, reviewing findings from surveys of polyploidy and natural hybrids in the wild. In a case study in the British flora, 203 hybrids representing 35% of hybrids with suitable data have formed via cross-ploidy matings, while a wider literature search revealed 48 studies (45 in plants and 3 in animals), where cross-ploidy hybridisation has been confirmed with genetic data. These results show cross-ploidy hybridisation is readily overlooked, and potentially common in some groups. General findings from these studies include strong directionality of hybridisation, with introgression usually towards the higher ploidy parent, and cross-ploidy hybridisation being more likely to involve allopolyploids than autopolyploids. Evidence for adaptive introgression across a ploidy barrier and cases of cross-ploidy hybrid speciation show the potential for important evolutionary outcomes.
06 Nov 2023Submitted to Molecular Ecology
07 Nov 2023Submission Checks Completed
07 Nov 2023Assigned to Editor
07 Nov 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
07 Nov 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned
08 Feb 20241st Revision Received
09 Feb 2024Submission Checks Completed
09 Feb 2024Assigned to Editor
09 Feb 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
19 Feb 2024Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
21 Feb 20242nd Revision Received
22 Feb 2024Submission Checks Completed
22 Feb 2024Assigned to Editor
22 Feb 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
23 Feb 2024Editorial Decision: Accept