Proof and evolutionary analysis of ancient genome duplication in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Nature
Authors
Keywords
Abstract

Whole-genome duplication followed by massive gene loss and specialization has long been postulated as a powerful mechanism of evolutionary innovation. Recently, it has become possible to test this notion by searching complete genome sequence for signs of ancient duplication. Here, we show that the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae arose from ancient whole-genome duplication, by sequencing and analysing Kluyveromyces waltii, a related yeast species that diverged before the duplication. The two genomes are related by a 1:2 mapping, with each region of K. waltii corresponding to two regions of S. cerevisiae, as expected for whole-genome duplication. This resolves the long-standing controversy on the ancestry of the yeast genome, and makes it possible to study the fate of duplicated genes directly. Strikingly, 95% of cases of accelerated evolution involve only one member of a gene pair, providing strong support for a specific model of evolution, and allowing us to distinguish ancestral and derived functions.

Year of Publication
2004
Journal
Nature
Volume
428
Issue
6983
Pages
617-24
Date Published
2004 Apr 08
ISSN
1476-4687
URL
DOI
10.1038/nature02424
PubMed ID
15004568
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