What is it about?
Gene duplication is an important type of mutation that creates a copy of an existing protein-coding gene and enables evolution to new protein functions. We model the evolution before and after gene duplication using a simplified biophysical structure model. We found that multi-functional proteins can arise as short term solutions with a long term preference for functional specialization after gene duplication. This preference was explained by an increase in mutational robustness.
Featured Image
Why is it important?
The leading models that describe the evolution after gene duplication include Neo- and Subfunctionalization, as well as gene dosage related models. We could show that a simple model based on biophysics and molecular biology can unite all of the existing models into one framework. The degree with which competing functions within a single protein can be accommodated alters the course of evolution. Genotype-phenotype mappings based on explicit biophysical information could explain specialization.
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Escape from Adaptive Conflict follows from weak functional trade-offs and mutational robustness, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, August 2012, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1115620109.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
