Gene duplication can open the way to new functions by

Last updated: 8/7/2022

Gene duplication can open the way to new functions by allowing changes to the regulation of paralogs. Mutatuions may change the regulatory regions of a paralog, or the gene encoding the proteins or RNA molecules that bind them. Thus both duplication and protein promiscuity allow for the reprogramming of genes. A gene may start to be expressed in a new organ, for example, or in response to a new signal. It can be added into a different network of genetic interractions and foster a new adaptation. This evolutionary switch is known as ______ It can affect a single gene or a module made up of several genes that work together in a network.