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Related Concept Videos

Gene Duplication and Divergence02:37

Gene Duplication and Divergence

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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...
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Gene families consist of groups of genes proposed to have originated from a common ancestor. Typically these arise through events in which a gene or genes are mistakenly duplicated during cell division. Unlike their parent genes (which are subject to selection pressure to maintain function), these gene copies do not need to preserve their sequences and may evolve at a relatively faster rate.
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Synteny and Evolution02:31

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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.
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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.
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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.
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Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
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Human adaptation and evolution by segmental duplication.

Megan Y Dennis1, Evan E Eichler2

  • 1Genome Center, MIND Institute, and Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.

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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Gene duplications drive new functions and structural variation, with humans and apes showing significant differences in these regions. These genetic changes impact human evolution and adaptation.

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Area of Science:

  • Genomics
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Human Genetics

Background:

  • Gene duplications are a primary driver of new gene functions and large-scale structural variation.
  • Humans and great apes exhibit substantial genetic differences in content and structure within recent segmental duplications compared to other euchromatic regions.
  • Novel human-specific duplicated genes, such as ARHGAP11B and SRGAP2C, are implicated in neocortical expansion and increased neuronal spine density.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of recent gene duplications in human evolution and adaptation.
  • To analyze the extent of genetic differences in segmental duplications between humans and great apes.
  • To understand the impact of structural variants and positive selection on human populations.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative genomic analysis of thousands of human and great ape genomes.
  • Identification and characterization of novel human-specific duplicated genes.
  • Analysis of structural variants and their stratification across human populations.

Main Results:

  • Humans and great apes display greater genetic differences in content and structure over recent segmental duplications than in other euchromatic regions.
  • Human-specific duplicated genes ARHGAP11B and SRGAP2C show potential roles in neocortical expansion and neuronal development.
  • Large segmental duplications and associated structural variants are often stratified between human populations, with some undergoing positive selection.

Conclusions:

  • Recent gene duplications significantly contribute to human evolution and adaptation.
  • Advanced technologies are crucial for discovering and accurately genotyping these duplications.
  • Understanding these genetic variations is key to comprehending human uniqueness and population diversity.