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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 Families01:57

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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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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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DNA replication is a well-evolved process that copies millions of base pairs with high fidelity during each cell division. Occasionally a wrong base or a long stretch of wrong bases may get added to the daughter strands. If the errors are left unchecked, cells might accumulate several mutations that might endanger their  survival. Therefore, the copying errors are checked and repaired at three levels.
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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...
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Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
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Evolutionary causes and consequences of gene duplication.

Angel F Cisneros1,2,3,4,5,6, Soham Dibyachintan1,2,3,4,5,6, Frédéric Bédard2,3,4,6,7

  • 1Département de biochimie, de microbiologie et de bio-informatique, Faculté des sciences et de génie, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.

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Summary

Gene duplication drives the emergence of new genes. Recent advances allow scientists to study how these gene duplicates evolve, revealing the roles of adaptive and non-adaptive forces in shaping their modern functions.

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Molecular biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Gene duplication is a primary source of genetic novelty.
  • Paralogous genes are maintained due to dosage effects, functional partitioning, or new function acquisition.
  • The molecular mechanisms and driving forces behind duplicated gene evolution are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the molecular mechanisms governing the evolution of duplicated genes.
  • To quantify the relative importance of factors influencing the fate of gene duplicates.
  • To understand how evolutionary forces shape modern gene duplicate functions.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing advanced experimental techniques like gene editing and deep mutational scanning.
  • Employing computational methods such as ancestral sequence reconstruction.
  • Analyzing the evolution of duplicated genes across various timescales.

Main Results:

  • Recent methodological advances enable detailed molecular analyses of gene duplicates.
  • These approaches are beginning to elucidate the evolutionary trajectories of duplicated genes.
  • Insights into how adaptive and non-adaptive forces shape gene duplicate evolution are emerging.

Conclusions:

  • New experimental and computational tools are revolutionizing the study of gene duplication.
  • Understanding the evolution of gene duplicates is crucial for comprehending genome evolution.
  • The interplay of various evolutionary forces determines the ultimate fate of new genes arising from duplication.