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Related Concept Videos

Genetic Variation01:25

Genetic Variation

Genetic variation is the diversity in DNA sequences found among individuals of the same species. This diversity is crucial for a species' survival because it helps organisms adapt to environmental changes. Genetic variation begins with fertilization, where an egg and sperm cell merge. Each of these cells carries 23 chromosomes, up to 46 in the fertilized egg. Chromosomes are long DNA strands that contain genes, the basic units of heredity.
Genes exist in different versions called alleles, which...
Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift01:09

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

In a population that is not at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the frequency of alleles changes over time. Therefore, any deviations from the five conditions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can alter the genetic variation of a given population. Conditions that change the genetic variability of a population include mutations, natural selection, non-random mating, gene flow, and genetic drift (small population size).Mechanisms of Genetic VariationThe original sources of genetic variation are mutations,...
Evolution of Microbial Genome01:08

Evolution of Microbial Genome

Microbial genome evolution is a highly dynamic process shaped by continual gene gain and loss across species and strains. This genomic flexibility allows microorganisms to adapt rapidly to environmental pressures and interactions with other organisms. Central to understanding this diversity is the distinction between the core and pan genomes.The core genome comprises the genes shared by all sampled strains of a species, representing essential functions needed for fundamental cellular processes.
Genomics02:02

Genomics

Genomics is the science of genomes: it is the study of all the genetic material of an organism. In humans, the genome consists of information carried in 23 pairs of chromosomes in the nucleus, as well as mitochondrial DNA. In genomics, both coding and non-coding DNA is sequenced and analyzed. Genomics allows a better understanding of all living things, their evolution, and their diversity. It has a myriad of uses: for example, to build phylogenetic trees, to improve productivity and...
Gene Duplication and Divergence02:37

Gene Duplication and Divergence

The seminal work of Ohno in 1970 popularized the idea of gene duplication and divergence. DNA sequence comparison studies reveal that a large portion of the genes in bacteria, archaebacteria, and eukaryotes was  generated by gene duplication and divergence, indicating its critical role in evolution.
The duplicated copies of the gene are called Paralogs. Paralogs with similar sequences and functions form a gene family. Across several species, a large number of gene families are characterized.
Genetic Drift03:33

Genetic Drift

Natural selection—probably the most well-known evolutionary mechanism—increases the prevalence of traits that enhance survival and reproduction. However, evolution does not merely propagate favorable traits, nor does it always benefit populations.Life is not fair. A deer grazing contentedly in a field can have her meal cut tragically short by a bolt of lightning. If the doomed doe is one of only three in the population, 1/3 of the population’s gene pool is lost. Random events like this can...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
04:52

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

Published on: February 3, 2023

The driving force behind genomic diversity.

Salla Jaakkola1, Sedeer El-Showk, Arto Annila

  • 1Department of Biosciences, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland.

Biophysical Chemistry
|March 11, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Genomes evolve toward diversity, creating excessive non-coding DNA. This high-entropy genomic ecosystem supports low-level functions and conserved sequences, driven by natural selection and thermodynamics.

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Last Updated: Jul 6, 2026

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Area of Science:

  • Genomics
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Thermodynamics

Background:

  • Eukaryote genomes possess abundant non-coding sequences (introns, intergenic regions).
  • The functional significance of these non-coding elements remains a long-standing question in molecular biology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explain the evolutionary persistence of excessive non-coding genomic sequences.
  • To propose a thermodynamic framework for understanding genome evolution and diversity.

Main Methods:

  • Application of principles from thermodynamics of open systems to genome evolution.
  • Analysis of genomic material dynamics (increase, decrease, distribution) under thermodynamic driving forces.

Main Results:

  • Genome evolution naturally leads to an 'excessive genome' characterized by high entropy.
  • Non-coding segments are associated with low-level functions, while conserved sequences manage coordinated activities.
  • The rate of entropy increase in genomes mirrors the rate of free energy decrease.

Conclusions:

  • Genome evolution is driven by thermodynamic principles, favoring diversity and increased entropy.
  • Natural selection acts as a universal fitness criterion, governing genomic entities akin to species.
  • The high-entropy genome is a stable evolutionary outcome supporting complex life.