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Related Concept Videos

Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?02:05

Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?

The genomes of eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of sequence which do not code for proteins or RNAs. Although some of these regions do contain crucial regulatory sequences, the vast majority of this DNA serves no known function. Typically, these regions of the genome are the ones in which the fastest change, in evolutionary terms, is observed, because there is typically little to no selection pressure acting on these regions to preserve their sequences.
In contrast, regions which code...
Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?02:05

Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?

The genomes of eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of sequence which do not code for proteins or RNAs. Although some of these regions do contain crucial regulatory sequences, the vast majority of this DNA serves no known function. Typically, these regions of the genome are the ones in which the fastest change, in evolutionary terms, is observed, because there is typically little to no selection pressure acting on these regions to preserve their sequences.
In contrast, regions which code...
Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons02:54

Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons

Genome comparison is one of the excellent ways to interpret the evolutionary relationships between organisms. The basic principle of genome comparison is that if two species share a common feature, it is likely encoded by the DNA sequence conserved between both species. The advent of genome sequencing technologies in the late 20th century enabled scientists to understand the concept of conservation of domains between species and helped them to deduce evolutionary relationships across diverse...
Hardy-Weinberg Principle01:49

Hardy-Weinberg Principle

Diploid organisms have two alleles of each gene, one from each parent, in their somatic cells. Therefore, each individual contributes two alleles to the gene pool of the population. The gene pool of a population is the sum of every allele of all genes within that population and has some degree of variation. Genetic variation is typically expressed as a relative frequency, which is the percentage of the total population that has a given allele, genotype or phenotype.In the early 20th century,...
The Evidence for Evolution02:55

The Evidence for Evolution

Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.The collection of fossils within sedimentary rocks give a record of common ancestry and often depicts the history of evolution.
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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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Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
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The loci of evolution: how predictable is genetic evolution?

David L Stern1, Virginie Orgogozo

  • 1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA. dstern@Princeton.edu

Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution
|July 12, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Genetic evolution predictability hinges on mutation type. While cis-regulatory mutations are increasingly recognized, both coding and cis-regulatory changes contribute to phenotypic evolution, requiring integrated study.

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary developmental biology
  • Genetics
  • Molecular biology

Background:

  • Evolutionary developmental biologists often propose that morphological traits evolve due to mutations in cis-regulatory regions of developmental genes.
  • The "cis-regulatory hypothesis" suggests these non-coding regions are primary drivers of evolutionary change.
  • This hypothesis has faced recent challenges, prompting a re-evaluation of mutation types in evolution.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically assess arguments supporting the cis-regulatory hypothesis.
  • To empirically evaluate the role of cis-regulatory versus coding mutations in phenotypic evolution.
  • To investigate patterns of mutation types across different evolutionary scales and gene functions.

Main Methods:

  • Comprehensive survey of identified genetic changes responsible for phenotypic evolution in multicellular organisms.
  • Analysis of mutation types (cis-regulatory vs. coding) and their prevalence.
  • Examination of mutation patterns in relation to species divergence and gene function (e.g., terminal differentiation).

Main Results:

  • Cis-regulatory mutations constitute approximately 22% of 331 identified genetic changes, with a rising annual publication rate.
  • Above the species level, cis-regulatory mutations are more prevalent than coding mutations for altering morphology.
  • Cis-regulatory mutations are predominant in genes not involved in terminal differentiation at the interspecies level.

Conclusions:

  • The origin of phenotypic evolution is more complex than a simple dichotomy between coding and cis-regulatory mutations.
  • The type of mutations driving evolution may depend on population characteristics and evolutionary timescales.
  • Predicting the genetic basis of evolution necessitates integrating insights from molecular developmental biology and population genetics.