Chapter 23.3, Problem 2R

Summary Introduction

To review:

The number of gene duplications and losses, which are likely to have occurred in the history of a gene family of the genomes of humans, chimpanzees, and gorillas.

Given:

The figure given below shows the gene tree derived from the genomes of humans, chimpanzee, and gorilla.

Introduction:

Gene duplication is a way in which the genomes acquire new functions. In gene duplication, one copy of the gene is made free from carrying out the original function. The gene duplication can have many outcomes. Both the genes can either retain their original function or both may have the ability to produce the original gene, but they may have the ability to diverge in different tissues at different times. One gene may become incapacitated and the other one may have the original function and the second may perform differently.