Dr. Ara B. Dopsis has an idea he thinks will be a boon to agriculture. He wants to create the 'pomato,' a hybrid between a tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) that has 12 chromosomes and a potato (Solanum tuberosum) that has 48 chromosomes. Dr. Dopsis is hoping his new pomato will have tuber growth like a potato and the fruit production of a tomato. He joins a haploid gamete from each species to form a hybrid and then induces doubling of chromosome number.

How many chromosomes will the polyploid have after chromosome doubling?

Key Concepts

Chromosome Number in Organisms

Different species have varying numbers of chromosomes, which are structures that carry genetic information. In this case, the tomato has 12 chromosomes, while the potato has 48. Understanding the chromosome number is crucial for predicting the genetic makeup of hybrids, as it influences traits and compatibility between species.

Hybridization

Hybridization is the process of combining different species or varieties to create a new organism with traits from both parents. In the context of the pomato, Dr. Dopsis is attempting to merge the desirable characteristics of tomatoes and potatoes. This process often involves the fusion of gametes, which are the reproductive cells that carry half the genetic information of each parent.

Polyploidy and Chromosome Doubling

Polyploidy refers to the condition where an organism has more than two complete sets of chromosomes. In this scenario, after Dr. Dopsis joins the haploid gametes and induces chromosome doubling, the resulting hybrid will have a total of 60 chromosomes (12 from the tomato and 48 from the potato, doubled). This increase in chromosome number can lead to greater genetic diversity and potentially new traits.