Functional divergence of duplicate genes
From Shiu Lab
In a typical eukaryote, >80% of genes have at least one within-genome relative (paralog). Intuitively, if the organism gains nothing from the extra copy, loss-of-function mutations can accumulate rather quickly and lead to the loss of one of the duplicates. Why then are we still detecting so many duplicate genes in genomes? Is it because these duplicates offer some selective advantages? Or can neutral processes contribute to duplicate retention? To address these questions, we study the evolutionary histories and functional divergence, particularly at the expression level, of selected plant gene families, including the receptor-like kinase (RLK) family, the polygalacturonase (PG) family, and the GATA transcription factor family. These three families represent very different components of the regulatory network. We plan to examine the differences in expression patterns of selected family members using reporter constructs. For the PGs, we will also measure the substrate preference and enzyme kinetics. With these information, the subtle differences in gene functions will be revealed and provide clues for how duplicates are retained.
