A biologist is examining the gene tree of a gene family of hormone receptor proteins.Which gene forms should she compare when focusing on changes in function due to gene duplication?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When focusing on changes in function due to gene duplication, the biologist should compare paralogs, which are genes derived from a common ancestral gene through duplication events. This allows for examination of changes in function that may have arisen through the accumulation of mutations in one or both of the paralogs. Orthologs, on the other hand, are genes that have diverged from a common ancestral gene through speciation events, and are therefore more useful for studying evolutionary relationships and conservation of function. Analogs are genes that perform the same or similar functions in different species, but have evolved independently and are therefore not derived from a common ancestral gene. Heterologs and Monologs are not commonly used terms in genealogy analysis.

A Biologist Is Examining the Gene Tree of a Gene