Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Evolution of Microbial Genome

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.

Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes

Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes

While every living organism has a genome of some kind (be it RNA, or DNA), there is considerable variation in the sizes of these blueprints. One major factor that impacts genome size is whether the organism is prokaryotic or eukaryotic. In prokaryotes, the genome contains little to no non-coding sequence, such that genes are tightly clustered in groups or operons sequentially along the chromosome. Conversely, the genes in eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of non-coding sequence.

Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes

Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes

While every living organism has a genome of some kind (be it RNA, or DNA), there is considerable variation in the sizes of these blueprints. One major factor that impacts genome size is whether the organism is prokaryotic or eukaryotic. In prokaryotes, the genome contains little to no non-coding sequence, such that genes are tightly clustered in groups or operons sequentially along the chromosome. Conversely, the genes in eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of non-coding sequence.

Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons

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...

Comparing Mitochondrial, Chloroplast, and Prokaryotic Genomes

Comparing Mitochondrial, Chloroplast, and Prokaryotic Genomes

The present-day mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes have retained some of the characteristics of their ancestral prokaryotes and also have acquired new attributes during their evolution within eukaryotic cells. Like prokaryotic genomes, mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes neither bind with histone-like proteins nor show complex packaging into chromosome-like structures, as observed in eukaryotes. Unlike mitotic cell divisions observed in eukaryotic cells, mitochondria and chloroplasts...

Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Methanonatronarchaeum thermophilum gen. nov., sp. nov. and 'Candidatus Methanohalarchaeum thermophilum', extremely halo(natrono)philic methyl-reducing methanogens from hypersaline lakes comprising a new euryarchaeal class Methanonatronarchaeia classis nov.

International journal of systematic and evolutionary microbiology·2018

Same author

Bioinformatics Meets Virology: The European Virus Bioinformatics Center's Second Annual Meeting.

Viruses·2018

Same author

Taxonomy of the family Arenaviridae and the order Bunyavirales: update 2018.

Archives of virology·2018

Same author

Evolution of Genome Architecture in Archaea: Spontaneous Generation of a New Chromosome in Haloferax volcanii.

Molecular biology and evolution·2018

Same author

Estimation of universal and taxon-specific parameters of prokaryotic genome evolution.

PloS one·2018

Same author

Vast diversity of prokaryotic virus genomes encoding double jelly-roll major capsid proteins uncovered by genomic and metagenomic sequence analysis.

Virology journal·2018

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 28, 2026

3D Multicolor DNA FISH Tool to Study Nuclear Architecture in Human Primary Cells

3D Multicolor DNA FISH Tool to Study Nuclear Architecture in Human Primary Cells

Published on: January 25, 2020

Evolution of genome architecture.

Eugene V Koonin¹

¹National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA. koonin@ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology

|October 22, 2008

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Genome evolution differs from trait evolution. Comparative genomics reveals genomes are shaped by selection, mutation, and selfish elements, not just adaptation. Gene order changes rapidly, suggesting neutral processes dominate genome architecture.

More Related Videos

Analyzing and Building Nucleic Acid Structures with 3DNA

Analyzing and Building Nucleic Acid Structures with 3DNA

Published on: April 26, 2013

Genome-wide Purification of Extrachromosomal Circular DNA from Eukaryotic Cells

Genome-wide Purification of Extrachromosomal Circular DNA from Eukaryotic Cells

Published on: April 4, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 28, 2026

3D Multicolor DNA FISH Tool to Study Nuclear Architecture in Human Primary Cells

3D Multicolor DNA FISH Tool to Study Nuclear Architecture in Human Primary Cells

Published on: January 25, 2020

Analyzing and Building Nucleic Acid Structures with 3DNA

Analyzing and Building Nucleic Acid Structures with 3DNA

Published on: April 26, 2013

Genome-wide Purification of Extrachromosomal Circular DNA from Eukaryotic Cells

Genome-wide Purification of Extrachromosomal Circular DNA from Eukaryotic Cells

Published on: April 4, 2016

Area of Science:

Evolutionary Biology
Genomics
Molecular Biology

Background:

Charles Darwin proposed natural selection perfects organism traits.
Darwin's observations focused on phenotypic adaptations, unaware of genome's existence.
Modern genomics allows large-scale genome sequence comparisons.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the dominant modes of genome evolution.
To compare genome architecture across diverse life forms.
To understand the evolutionary forces shaping genome organization.

Main Methods:

Comparative genomics using hundreds of genome sequences.
Analysis of genome content and gene order conservation.
Evaluation of factors influencing genome evolution: selection, mutation, recombination, and selfish genetic elements.

Main Results:

Vertebrate genomes contain many selfish genetic elements, with little functional information.
Microbial and viral genomes are compact and functionally dense.
Gene order (genome organization) is poorly conserved, even in compact genomes.
Genome architecture is influenced by selection pressure, population size, mutation rate, recombination, and selfish elements.

Conclusions:

Genome evolution differs significantly from phenotypic evolution.
Genome architecture is not solely driven by continuous adaptation.
Neutral processes and epiphenomena play a major role in shaping genome architecture.
Selection for genome streamlining may occur in successful lineages with large populations.