Investigating de novo gene evolution in Drosophila melanogaster

University Of California At Davis, Davis CA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

Most evolution is the result of modifications of biological function by natural selection. However, truly novel evolutionary innovations are also possible. One example is the recruitment of genes from ancestrally non-genic sequence, which has been described in several species using comparative genomics approaches. Here we focus on the early stages of de novo gene evolution by studying variation and function of such genes segregating in Drosophila melanogaster and fixed since the split with D. simulans.