Examining the Process of de Novo Gene Birth: An Educational Primer on “Integration of New Genes into Cellular Networks, and Their Structural Maturation”

Abstract

SUMMARY New genes that arise from modification of the noncoding portion of a genome rather than being duplicated from parent genes are called de novo genes. These genes, identified by their brief evolution and lack of parent genes, provide an opportunity to study the timeframe in which emerging genes integrate into cellular networks, and how the characteristics of these genes change as they mature into bona fide genes. An article by G. Abrusán provides an opportunity to introduce students to fundamental concepts in evolutionary and comparative genetics and to provide a technical background by which to discuss systems biology approaches when studying the evolutionary process of gene birth. Basic background needed to understand the Abrusán study and details on comparative genomic concepts tailored for a classroom discussion are provided, including discussion questions and a supplemental exercise on navigating a genome database.

Evolutionary Pathways and Trajectories in Antibiotic Resistance

“…The possibility that antibiotic-resistance genes might also emerge as de novo genes, i.e., new genes derived from changes of the noncoding segments of the genome (88)(89)(90), is almost unexplored (91). However, synthetic proteins have been obtained from the noncoding DNA of E. coli, and a number of these pseudogene-derived proteins were predicted to be enzymes (92).…”