Derived alleles of two axis proteins affect meiotic traits in autotetraploid Arabidopsis arenosa

Significance Genome duplication is an important factor in the evolution of eukaryotic lineages, but it poses challenges for the regular segregation of chromosomes in meiosis and thus fertility. To survive, polyploid lineages must evolve to overcome initial challenges that accompany doubling the chromosome complement. Understanding how evolution can solve the challenge of segregating multiple homologous chromosomes promises fundamental insights into the mechanisms of genome maintenance and could open polyploidy as a crop improvement tool. We previously identified candidate genes for meiotic stabilization of Arabidopsis arenosa , which has natural diploid and tetraploid variants. Here we test the role that derived alleles of two genes under selection in tetraploid A. arenosa might have in meiotic stabilization in tetraploids.