15. Genomes and Genomics

Comparative Genomics

Multiple Choice
Two similar genes that arose from a gene duplication and are found in the same organism are called what?
Multiple Choice
Synteny describes conservation of what?
Open Question
The genetic difference between two Drosophila species, D. heteroneura and D. silvestris, as measured by nucleotide diversity, is about 1.8 percent. The difference between chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and humans (H. sapiens) is about the same, yet the latter species is classified in a different genera. In your opinion, is this valid? Explain why.
Open Question
How do comparisons between genomes of related species help refine gene annotation?
Open Question
You have cloned the mouse ortholog (see Genetic Analysis 14.2 for definition) of the gene associated with human Huntington disease (HD) and wish to examine its expression in mice. Outline the approaches you might take to examine the temporal and spatial expression pattern at the cellular level.
Open Question
Annotation involves identifying genes and gene-regulatory sequences in a genome. List and describe characteristics of a genome that are hallmarks for identifying genes in an unknown sequence. What characteristics would you look for in a bacterial genome? A eukaryotic genome?
Open Question
We all carry about 20,000 genes in our genome. So far, patents have been issued for more than 6000 of these genes. Do you think that companies or individuals should be able to patent human genes? Why or why not?
Open Question
In humans, Duchenne muscular dystrophy is caused by a mutation in the dystrophin gene, which resides on the X chromosome. How would you create a mouse model of this genetic disease?
Open Question
Consider the phylogenetic trees below pertaining to three related species (A, B, C) that share a common ancestor (last common ancestor, or LCA). The lineage leading to species A diverges before the divergence of species B and C.

For gene Z, gene duplications have occurred in all species. Define orthology and paralogy relationships for the different Z genes. <>
Open Question
Consider the phylogenetic trees below pertaining to three related species (A, B, C) that share a common ancestor (last common ancestor, or LCA). The lineage leading to species A diverges before the divergence of species B and C.

For gene Y, a gene duplication occurred in the lineage leading to A after it diverged from that, leading to B and C. Are genes AY1 and AY2 orthologous or paralogous? Are genes AY1 and BY orthologous or paralogous? Are genes BY and CY orthologous or paralogous? <>
Open Question
Consider the phylogenetic trees below pertaining to three related species (A, B, C) that share a common ancestor (last common ancestor, or LCA). The lineage leading to species A diverges before the divergence of species B and C.

For gene X, no gene duplications have occurred in any lineage, and each gene X is derived from the ancestral gene X via speciation events. Are genes AX, BX, and CX orthologous, paralogous, or homologous? <>