Comparative analysis indicates regulatory neofunctionalization of yeast duplicates
2007
Study of Gene Duplication in Yeast
Sample size: 457
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Itay Tirosh, Naama Barkai
Primary Institution: Weizmann Institute of Science
Hypothesis
How do gene functions diversify following duplication?
Conclusion
Duplicated genes may diversify through regulatory neofunctionalization.
Supporting Evidence
- 43 duplicate pairs showed asymmetric expression divergence.
- The conserved copy retained the ancestral function while the divergent copy performed a novel function.
- Approximately 60% of the most conserved S. cerevisiae genes are essential.
Takeaway
When yeast genes duplicate, one copy can change to do something new while the other keeps doing the old job.
Methodology
The study compared expression profiles of yeast duplicate genes with their pre-duplication orthologs in Candida albicans.
Limitations
The method does not compare expression under the same conditions, making it difficult to infer functional significance.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p < 10-16
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website