Gene Duplication

Cancer Terms -> Biological Process -> Subcellular Process -> Biochemical Process -> Molecular Sequence Alteration -> DNA Sequence Alteration -> DNA Sequence Rearrangement -> Gene Amplification -> Gene Duplication

Gene Duplication Definition

A chromosomal structural change resulting in the doubling of a section of the genome of prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The size of the duplicated segment may vary considerably. Duplications may be interchromosomal, with the duplicate segment incorporated into another chromosome, or intrachromosomal, with the duplicate region present in the same chromosome. (Rieger et al., Glossary of Genetics: Classical and Molecular, 5th ed) The production of a tandem repeat of a DNA sequence by unequal crossing over or by an accident of replication. Inclusion of two copies of the same genetic material in a genome; an important step in diversification of genomes, as in the evolution of the (non-allelic) hemoglobin chains from a common ancestor.