Dynamic genomes of eukaryotes and the maintenance of genomic integrity

Abstract

The presumed constancy of eukaryotic genomes between generations is at odds with the observations of their being dynamic and varying extensively within a generation in some eukaryotic lineages. It appears likely that eukaryotes specify the portion of their genome to be inherited, either placing it in a separate germline nucleus or marking it through epigenetics. Both cyclic polyploidy and differential amplification elevate gene copy numbers and likely provide advantages to the organism as more templates become available for transcription, thus increasing metabolic efficiency. Microbial eukaryotes display diverse mechanisms for reducing ploidy levels and thus maintaining the fidelity of the inherited genome.