Brachypodium model system traces polyploid genome evolution

Flowering plants abide by the concept, "the more the merrier," with respect to their genomes. In their base state, they are diploids with two genome copies, one from each parent. Having three or more genome copies from additional parents or duplication, also known as "polyploidy," is common among flowering plants; at least once during their evolution, the genomes of flowering plants multiply. Over time, plants lose many genes after such events, returning their genomes to a diploid state while retaining multiple copies of some genes.

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