Gene evolution

Genes evolution

Point mutations, are any change that only affects a single pair of nucleotides

Ofetn occurs when cells are reproducing, are random and actually common

According to scientists all living creatures evolved from an ancient common ancestor

Most mutations are neutral, but if they are significant they often have a negative effect, natural selection often takes care of them

It is rare but sometimes point mutations are benefitial

An example of a point mutation is long fur in dogs such as shitzus

Point mutations are mostly a benefitial source of new genetic information for a population

Point mutations usually don't increase total amount of genetic information

When new information is gained old information is lost

Gene duplication events is when a stretch of genetic code is duplicated and reinserted into a creature's DNA

Duplications happen frequently naturally

They can be really small or even whole genes, which increase dramatically the creature's DNA length

Mutations can occur in the new duplicated gene which could make it into brand new genetic information

Some examples of gene duplication events are Dachshund's legs, the leaf eating monkey's digestive enzymes, and the evolution of snake venom

Researchers found that a gene duplication event, a gene called FGF4 was duplicated and inserted in another part of their DNA, this resulted in the odd legs of the Dachshound and oppening new hunting way for them

Leaf eating monkeys' intestines are more acidic than that of humans, this acid helps break down the cell walls of raw leaves, but it makes RNase1 proteins slower. A gene duplication event happened in the monkey's DNA and with some other mutations in the new duplicated gene, there was a new protein similar to the RNase1 but it works better in acid

Australian rough scaled snake has a peculiar venom to kill it's preys, the venom includes a protein called Factor X which helps clot blood, however, with a gene duplication event and other mutations, this protein used to heal, now was being produced in the snake's saliva glands and makes blood clot rapidly in the prey often causing death

Genes evolve mostly with gene mutations, like gene duplication events, point mutations, insertion (which is insertion of one or more nucleotides), and or deletions (which removes one or more nucleotides).