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Evolution of genetic redundancy

Author

Listed:
  • Martin A. Nowak

    (University of Oxford)

  • Maarten C. Boerlijst

    (University of Oxford)

  • Jonathan Cooke

    (†National Institute for Medical Research)

  • John Maynard Smith

    (‡School of Biological Sciences, University of Sussex)

Abstract

Genetic redundancy means that two or more genes are performing the same function and that inactivation of one of these genes has little or no effect on the biological phenotype. Redundancy seems to be widespread in genomes of higher organisms1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9. Examples of apparently redundant genes come from numerous studies of developmental biology10,11,12,13,14,15, immunology16,17, neurobiology18,19 and the cell cycle20,21. Yet there is a problem: genes encoding functional proteins must be under selection pressure. If a gene was truly redundant then it would not be protected against the accumulation of deleterious mutations. A widespread view is therefore that such redundancy cannot be evolutionarily stable. Here we develop a simple genetic model to analyse selection pressures acting on redundant genes. We present four cases that can explain why genetic redundancy is common. In three cases, redundancy is even evolutionarily stable. Our theory provides a framework for exploring the evolution of genetic organization.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin A. Nowak & Maarten C. Boerlijst & Jonathan Cooke & John Maynard Smith, 1997. "Evolution of genetic redundancy," Nature, Nature, vol. 388(6638), pages 167-171, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:388:y:1997:i:6638:d:10.1038_40618
    DOI: 10.1038/40618
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    Cited by:

    1. Andreas Wagner & Peter F. Stadler, 1999. "Viral RNA and Evolved Mutational Robustness," Working Papers 99-02-010, Santa Fe Institute.
    2. Johan Grasman & Raoul P P P Grasman & Han L J van der Maas, 2016. "The Dynamics of Addiction: Craving versus Self-Control," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(6), pages 1-11, June.
    3. Marc Hafner & Heinz Koeppl & Martin Hasler & Andreas Wagner, 2009. "‘Glocal’ Robustness Analysis and Model Discrimination for Circadian Oscillators," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 5(10), pages 1-10, October.
    4. Roee Teper, 2014. "The Endowment Effect as a Blessing," Working Paper 5862, Department of Economics, University of Pittsburgh.

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