How can gene duplication drive evolutionary novelty?

How can gene duplication drive evolutionary novelty?

• A. Duplication creates extra gene copies that can diverge and acquire new functions without losing the original function.
• B. Duplication always reduces genetic diversity.
• C. Duplication occurs only in asexual organisms.
• D. Duplication always leads to harmful mutations.

Answer: (A)

Gene duplication provides extra copies of a gene, while the original copy keeps doing its normal job. That redundancy lets the duplicate accumulate mutations without harming the organism, so it can gradually acquire a new function or a new pattern of regulation. Over time, one copy might become specialized for a different role (subfunctionalization) or take on a completely new function (neofunctionalization). This is a major way to generate evolutionary novelty: new proteins, new regulatory controls, or new trait possibilities can arise from these duplicated genes while the original function remains preserved. For example, expanded families of enzymes or sensory receptors often originate from gene duplications, with each copy diverging to detect different substrates or signals. In short, duplication supplies the raw material for innovation by letting one copy explore new possibilities while the other stays faithful to the original function.

Gene duplication provides extra copies of a gene, while the original copy keeps doing its normal job. That redundancy lets the duplicate accumulate mutations without harming the organism, so it can gradually acquire a new function or a new pattern of regulation. Over time, one copy might become specialized for a different role (subfunctionalization) or take on a completely new function (neofunctionalization). This is a major way to generate evolutionary novelty: new proteins, new regulatory controls, or new trait possibilities can arise from these duplicated genes while the original function remains preserved. For example, expanded families of enzymes or sensory receptors often originate from gene duplications, with each copy diverging to detect different substrates or signals. In short, duplication supplies the raw material for innovation by letting one copy explore new possibilities while the other stays faithful to the original function.