Duplicated Genes
Duplicated genes are sets of genes, within the same species, that share a very similar sequence of nucleotides. This similarity occurs due to the duplication of portions of DNA, which is a form of genetic mutation. Events like these are important as they can help explain how organisms evolve and adapt. Duplicated genes can also be a source of genetic variation and can result in new phenotypes through mutations. In many cases, the duplicated gene can acquire new functions that can provide an advantage to the organism, such as better resistance to a disease or an increase in size. This is especially important in plants, as these benefits can improve crop yields and resistance to environmental stress. In humans, this form of mutation has been linked to some diseases and it is important to be able to identify the duplicate genes, in order to help identify the cause of the illness.
← Journal of Proteomics and Genomics Research