Paralogiset

Paralogiset refers to genes or proteins that arise from gene duplication within a single genome. This duplication event creates two or more copies of a gene, which can then accumulate mutations independently. Over evolutionary time, these paralogous genes can diverge in sequence and function.

The process of gene duplication is a major driver of evolutionary innovation. Once a gene is duplicated, one copy can maintain its original function, while the other copy is free to acquire new mutations and potentially evolve a novel function. This can lead to the development of new traits or adaptations within a species.

Paralogs can be found within the same species (tandem duplicates, segmental duplications, or whole-genome duplications) or across different species if the duplication event occurred before the divergence of those species. Identifying paralogous genes is important in comparative genomics and evolutionary biology for understanding gene family evolution and the functional diversification of proteins. The study of paralogs helps researchers trace the evolutionary history of genes and their roles in biological processes.