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Updated: Jun 21, 2026

G2-seq: A High Throughput Sequencing-based Technique for Identifying Late Replicating Regions of the Genome
Published on: March 22, 2018
Differences in duplication age distributions between human GPCRs and their downstream genes from a network
Yong Huang1, Ying Zheng, Zhixi Su
1Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Center for Bioinformatics and Biological Statistics, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA. yhames04@iastate.edu
Gene duplication impacts evolution, with peripheral genes often retained. Human G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) show continued expansion in specific subfamilies involved in immunity and sensory responses post-vertebrate emergence.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Genomics
- Systems biology
Background:
- Gene duplication is a key driver of evolutionary innovation.
- Duplication-divergence theories suggest peripheral genes are preferentially retained.
- Previous studies lacked temporal resolution across major speciation events.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate gene duplication and retention dynamics in human gene networks.
- Analyze the temporal patterns of gene duplication in G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and their downstream targets.
- Determine the influence of gene network position on duplicate gene fixation.
Main Methods:
- Constructed a human G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) and downstream gene model system.
- Partitioned genes into peripheral (GPCRs) and backbone (downstream) network layers.
- Analyzed age distributions of gene duplication events.
Main Results:
- Both GPCRs and downstream genes expanded explosively during early vertebrate emergence.
- GPCR families, but not downstream genes, exhibited continued expansion after early vertebrates.
- Expansion was concentrated in GPCR subfamilies related to immune and sensory responses.
Conclusions:
- Gene network position significantly influences duplicate gene fixation likelihood.
- Expansion patterns vary within super gene families like GPCRs.
- Continued gene family expansion favors lineage-specific functions in specialized subfamilies.
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