Gene Evolution: Getting Something from Nothing

Caroline M Weisman; Sean R Eddy

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2017.05.056

Gene Evolution: Getting Something from Nothing

Curr Biol. 2017 Jul 10;27(13):R661-R663. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.05.056.

Authors

Caroline M Weisman¹, Sean R Eddy²

Affiliations

¹ HHMI & Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
² HHMI & Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. Electronic address: seaneddy@fas.harvard.edu.

PMID: 28697368
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.05.056

Abstract

New genes arise from pre-existing genes, but some de novo origin from non-genic sequence also seems plausible. A new study has surprisingly concluded that 25% of random DNA sequences yield beneficial products when expressed in bacteria.

Publication types

Comment

Grants and funding

T32 GM008313/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States