AUTOMIXIS Meaning and
Definition
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Automixis is a biological process that occurs in certain organisms, involving the fusion of two reproductive cells from the same individual to produce offspring. It is a form of asexual reproduction where genetic information is recombined but without the need for another individual of the same species to mate with.
In automixis, a single parent organism produces gametes (reproductive cells) through a process called meiosis, which halves the genetic material. However, instead of these gametes fusing with gametes from another individual, they fuse with other gametes produced by the same parent, resulting in the formation of a zygote. This zygote then develops into a new individual, effectively cloning the parent organism.
Automixis can occur through various mechanisms. Some organisms, such as certain types of plants, undergo automictic parthenogenesis, where the fusion of gametes occurs within the reproductive structures of the same individual. In others, like some species of insects, automixis can be facultative and occur alongside sexual reproduction.
This process of asexual reproduction provides certain advantages to the organisms that employ it. It allows for rapid reproduction and colonization of new habitats, as only one individual is needed to initiate a new population. It also serves as a means of recovering genetic diversity and adapting to changing environmental conditions by recombination of genetic material from a single source.
Common Misspellings for AUTOMIXIS
- zutomixis
- sutomixis
- wutomixis
- qutomixis
- aytomixis
- ahtomixis
- ajtomixis
- aitomixis
- a8tomixis
- a7tomixis
- auromixis
- aufomixis
- augomixis
- auyomixis
- au6omixis
- au5omixis
- autimixis
- autkmixis
- autlmixis
- autpmixis
Etymology of AUTOMIXIS
The word "automixis" is derived from two Greek terms: "auto" meaning "self" or "same", and "mixis" meaning "mingling", "mixing", or "union". When combined, "automixis" refers to a process of reproduction or genetic recombination that occurs within an individual, usually a result of self-fertilization or selfing.
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