Question

In instances in the eukaryotic genome, DNA sequences represent evolutionary vestiges of duplicated copies of genes. What are such regions called and what are their characteristics?

Short answer

Answer: The term used to describe these regions is Pseudogenes. Their characteristics include being non-functional, sharing sequence homology with functional genes, accumulating multiple mutations, sometimes being transcribed into RNA without producing functional proteins, and providing evolutionary evidence for gene duplication and divergence.

Step-by-step solution

Identifying the term for regions with duplicated DNA sequences in the eukaryotic genome

The regions in the eukaryotic genome having duplicated DNA sequences representing evolutionary vestiges of duplicated copies of genes are called Pseudogenes.

Characteristics of pseudogenes

1. Non-functional: Pseudogenes are non-functional, meaning they no longer encode protein products. This is due to the accumulation of deleterious mutations over time, such as nucleotide insertions, deletions, or substitutions. 2. Homologous to functional genes: Pseudogenes share sequence homology (similarity) with functional genes, as they are derived from the duplication or retrotransposition of the original gene. 3. Mutations: Pseudogenes are characterized by the accumulation of multiple mutations which render them non-functional. These include point mutations, frame-shift mutations, premature stop codons, and deletion or insertion of large segments of the pseudogene. 4. Transcription: Some pseudogenes are still transcribed into RNA, though they do not produce functional proteins. The resulting RNA may have regulatory functions within the cell. 5. Evolutionary evidence: Pseudogenes provide evolutionary evidence for the duplication and subsequent divergence of genes within the genome. The presence of pseudogenes can help researchers study the evolutionary history of genes and genomes.