Biology Forum › Genetics › question
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- September 2, 2008 at 3:12 am #10034
youknowwho1ParticipantWhat leads to divergence besides formation of mutations?
Do genes duplicate individually? if so, how?
"Interestingly, Duplicate pairs within families are not more likely to share cis motif structure than duplicate pairs from ancient genome duplication. For some gene families, there may be less selective constraint because there are more gene copies and therefore a greater plasticity for functional compensation in the event of mutation" (yes I’m copying this from an article, but I need help understanding it,so don’t sue me)
Whats selective constraint? and why would more gene copies make there be less selective constraint?
gene copies- more than 2 copies? how and why? - September 4, 2008 at 3:00 pm #85736blcr11Participant
If you have two versions of the same gene, there may be less selective pressure to maintain the function of one copy, allowing the accumulation of mutations—maybe producing enough changes to yield a new gene with a different function. In any event, because there is at least one “pristine” version of the gene, there is less selective pressure against the both of them, at least until one of them loses the original activity; then the copy that retains the activity must bear the burden of selective pressure, as before the duplication event, while the now transformed copy is free(er) to develop in some new direction.
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