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Related Concept Videos

Exon Recombination02:32

Exon Recombination

The evolution of new genes is critical for speciation. Exon recombination, also known as exon shuffling or domain shuffling, is an important means of new gene formation. It is observed across vertebrates, invertebrates, and in some plants such as potatoes and sunflowers. During exon recombination, exons from the same or different genes recombine and produce new exon-intron combinations, which might evolve into new genes. 
Exon shuffling follows “splice frame rules.” Each exon has three reading...
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.
Evolution of New Traits in Microbes01:24

Evolution of New Traits in Microbes

Microorganisms evolve rapidly due to their large population sizes and short generation times, often exhibiting measurable changes within days under laboratory conditions. Natural selection acts on standing genetic variation, enabling the retention and amplification of beneficial traits that confer fitness advantages in changing environments.Adaptive Pigment Regulation in RhodobacterIn Rhodobacter, a genus of purple non-sulfur bacteria, light-harvesting pigments such as bacteriochlorophyll and...
Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes03:21

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 Genes03:21

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.
Synteny and Evolution02:31

Synteny and Evolution

John H. Renwick first coined the term “synteny” in 1971, which refers to the genes present on the same chromosomes, even if they are not genetically linked. The species with common ancestry tend to show conserved syntenic regions. Therefore, the concept of synteny is nowadays used to describe the evolutionary relationship between species.
Around 80 million years ago, the human and mice lineages diverged from the common ancestor. During the course of evolution, the ancestral chromosome underwent...

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Updated: May 25, 2026

Rearing and Double-stranded RNA-mediated Gene Knockdown in the Hide Beetle, Dermestes maculatus
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Rearing and Double-stranded RNA-mediated Gene Knockdown in the Hide Beetle, Dermestes maculatus

Published on: December 28, 2016

Hox gene evolution: multiple mechanisms contributing to evolutionary novelties.

Leslie Pick1, Alison Heffer

  • 1Department of Entomology and Program in Molecular & Cell Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA. lpick@umd.edu

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|February 11, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Hox genes, crucial for body plan development, drive evolutionary diversity through changes in their expression, regulation, coding sequences, and posttranscriptional functions. These mechanisms explain morphological diversification and the emergence of novelties.

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Last Updated: May 25, 2026

Rearing and Double-stranded RNA-mediated Gene Knockdown in the Hide Beetle, Dermestes maculatus
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Published on: December 28, 2016

The Power of Simplicity: Sea Urchin Embryos as in Vivo Developmental Models for Studying Complex Cell-to-cell Signaling Network Interactions
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The Power of Simplicity: Sea Urchin Embryos as in Vivo Developmental Models for Studying Complex Cell-to-cell Signaling Network Interactions

Published on: February 16, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Hox genes establish regional identity in diverse organisms, from flies to humans.
  • They are traditionally viewed as evolutionarily constrained due to the detrimental effects of large body plan alterations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine four key evolutionary mechanisms driving Hox gene evolution.
  • To discuss how these mechanisms contribute to morphological diversification and novelties.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent studies investigating Hox gene evolution.
  • Analysis of four distinct evolutionary mechanisms: changes in gene expression, downstream target gene regulation, protein-coding sequence, and posttranscriptional regulation.

Main Results:

  • Hox gene expression alterations contribute to evolutionary changes.
  • Modifications in downstream target gene regulation, independent of Hox expression changes, also drive evolution.
  • Changes in protein-coding sequences and posttranscriptional regulation of Hox genes are implicated in morphological diversification.

Conclusions:

  • Hox genes, once considered static, are dynamic drivers of morphological evolution.
  • Understanding these four mechanisms provides insight into the generation of body plan diversity and evolutionary novelties.