GENE DUPLICATIONS IN EVOLUTIONARY INNOVATION
"πΎπππ ππ¦π‘πππππ₯ππ π π‘π£π π§ππππ€ π π£πππ¦ππππππͺ π₯πππ₯ ππ£πππ€ π ππ ππ π‘πͺ ππ£π π π€πππππ₯ππ§π ππ ππ€π₯π£ππππ₯, ππππ π¨πππ ππ₯ π₯π ππ©π‘ππ π£π πππ¨ ππ¦πππ₯ππ πππ π€π‘πππ." - Dr. Richard Lewontin 𧬠Gene duplications are a driving force in evolution, offering raw material for innovation. They arise through mechanisms like unequal crossing over, retroposition, or whole-genome duplication (WGD). Once a gene is duplicated, one copy can conserve its original role, while the other diverges; fueling new functions, adaptations, or even nonfunctionalization (pseudogenes). πΉ The evolutionary fates of gene duplications includes: Subfunctionalization: split ancestral functions across duplicates. Neofunctionalization: gain of new roles, which is vital for innovation. Pseudogenization: loss of function. A classic case is the globin gene family: duplications enabled the evolution of h...