Facultative parthenogenesis (FP) has been observed in various vertebrates, including whiptail lizards. The underlying mechanism involves post-meiotic genome duplication, leading to homozygous animals from haploid oocytes. Contrary to previous beliefs, FP can occur alongside sexual reproduction and is not triggered by isolation from mating partners. Mixoploidy was observed in FP animals, with some showing developmental defects due to the exposure of deleterious alleles. Genome-wide homozygosity exposes genetic load but also purges non-functional alleles, contributing to genetic purification and potential adaptive advantages.
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by Ho,D. V., To... at www.biorxiv.org 09-22-2023
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.21.558237v1Deeper Inquiries