Loss of genetic redundancy in reductive genome evolution.

ABSTRACT: Biological systems evolved to be functionally robust in uncertain environments, but also highly adaptable. Such robustness is partly achieved by genetic redundancy, where the failure of a specific component through mutation or environmental challenge can be compensated by duplicate components capable of performing, to a limited extent, the same function. Highly variable environments require very robust systems. Conversely, predictable environments should not place a high selective value on robustness. Here we test this hypothesis by investigating the evolutionary dynamics of genetic redundancy in extremely reduced genomes, found mostly in intracellular parasites and endosymbionts. By combining data analysis with simulations of genome evolution we show that in the extensive gene loss suffer

SUBMITTER: Mendonca AG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3040653 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature