Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

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.
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...
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...
Evolutionary Processes in Microbes01:26

Evolutionary Processes in Microbes

Microbial evolution occurs rapidly due to short generation times and a variety of genetic processes, including horizontal gene transfer, mutation, recombination, and genetic drift. These mechanisms collectively enable microbes to adapt swiftly to changing environments.Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) allows genes to move between different species and occurs through three main mechanisms: conjugation, transformation, and transduction. Conjugation involves direct cell-to-cell contact for DNA...
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...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Author Correction: OR7A10 GPCR engineering boosts CAR-NK therapy against solid tumours.

Nature·2026
Same author

IgA is necessary and sufficient to prevent norovirus infection in mice.

Science translational medicine·2026
Same author

Large-scale, spatially resolved panoramic CRISPR screening in native tissue environments using Perturb-DBiT.

Nature biotechnology·2026
Same author

Analysis of the impact of gene evolution on reproductive effects reveals prevalent sexual and germline-soma conflicts.

Nature ecology & evolution·2026
Same author

Bryophytes: natural incubators of new gene evolution.

Trends in plant science·2026
Same author

eSIG-Net: an interaction language model that decodes the protein code of single mutations.

Nature methods·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 8, 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

New genes as drivers of phenotypic evolution.

Sidi Chen1, Benjamin H Krinsky, Manyuan Long

  • 11] Department of Ecology and Evolution, The University of Chicago, 1101 East 57th Street, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA. [2] Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.

Nature Reviews. Genetics
|August 17, 2013
PubMed
Summary

New genes rapidly acquire essential roles in development and behavior, driving biological diversity. Understanding their evolution offers refined insights into genome evolution and phenotypic variation.

More Related Videos

Quantitative Comparison of cis-Regulatory Element (CRE) Activities in Transgenic Drosophila melanogaster
08:19

Quantitative Comparison of cis-Regulatory Element (CRE) Activities in Transgenic Drosophila melanogaster

Published on: December 19, 2011

Discovery of Driver Genes in Colorectal HT29-derived Cancer Stem-Like Tumorspheres
06:52

Discovery of Driver Genes in Colorectal HT29-derived Cancer Stem-Like Tumorspheres

Published on: July 22, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 8, 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

Quantitative Comparison of cis-Regulatory Element (CRE) Activities in Transgenic Drosophila melanogaster
08:19

Quantitative Comparison of cis-Regulatory Element (CRE) Activities in Transgenic Drosophila melanogaster

Published on: December 19, 2011

Discovery of Driver Genes in Colorectal HT29-derived Cancer Stem-Like Tumorspheres
06:52

Discovery of Driver Genes in Colorectal HT29-derived Cancer Stem-Like Tumorspheres

Published on: July 22, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Genomics
  • Molecular biology

Background:

  • Genomes evolve by acquiring novel genetic elements.
  • New genes contribute to functional and phenotypic diversity.
  • Recent evolution generates new genes present in a subset of species.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To understand the evolution of new genes.
  • To investigate the phenotypic effects of new genes.
  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms behind the essential roles of new genes.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative genomics to identify new genes.
  • Functional assays to determine gene roles.
  • Molecular biology techniques to characterize gene evolution.

Main Results:

  • New genes rapidly evolve indispensable roles in fundamental biological processes.
  • These roles include development, reproduction, brain function, and behavior.
  • The molecular underpinnings of these roles are beginning to be characterized.

Conclusions:

  • New genes are a significant source of evolutionary innovation.
  • Understanding new gene evolution refines our view of biological diversity.
  • Emerging research highlights the rapid functionalization of novel genetic elements.