Gene expression and fractionation resistance

BACKGROUND: Previous work on whole genome doubling in plants established the importance of gene functional category in provoking or suppressing duplicate gene loss, or fractionation. Other studies, particularly in Paramecium have correlated levels of gene expression with vulnerability or resistance to duplicate loss. RESULTS: Here we analyze the simultaneous effect of function category and expression in two plant data sets, rosids and asterids. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate function category and expression level have independent effects, though expression does not play the dominant role it does in Paramecium.