Gene duplication increases the number of genes through evolution
the verdict
SUPPORTED
the evidence backs this
confidence 92/100
Extensive genomic and evolutionary evidence consistently shows that gene duplication is a primary driver of gene family expansion and the generation of new genes over evolutionary time.
Evidence for · 7
Rapid Subfunctionalization Accompanied by Prolonged and Substantial Neofunctionalization in Duplicate Gene Evolution
2005 · cited by 568
States that gene duplication is the primary source of new genes and demonstrates how enormous numbers of new functions originate via duplication.
See more details
More for · 6
Consistent Patterns of Rate Asymmetry and Gene Loss Indicate Widespread Neofunctionalization of Yeast Genes After Whole-Genome Duplication
2007 · cited by 79
Investigates whole-genome duplication in yeast and shows how duplicated gene pairs undergo divergence and neofunctionalization.
Phylogenomics of the oxidative phosphorylation in fungi reveals extensive gene duplication followed by functional divergence
2009 · cited by 72
Reveals that duplications in respiratory proteins have been common and fundamental to the evolution of fungal metabolic pathways.
Origin and Evolution of Genes in Eukaryotes: Mechanisms, Dynamics, and Functional Implications.
2025 · cited by 4
Explains that gene duplication is a principal mechanism underlying gene emergence, molecular innovation, and evolutionary complexity in eukaryotes.
Promoter architecture links gene duplication with transcriptional divergence
2021 · cited by 1
Links gene duplication directly to the expansion of gene families and the capacity for sub- and neo-functionalization.
Pan-Genome Analysis Reveals Evolutionary Dynamics and Functional Divergence of the <i>NAC</i> Gene Family in Soybean.
2026 · cited by 0
Indicates that whole-genome and segmental duplication are predominant drivers of gene family expansion and copy number variation in plants.
Recurrent Duplication of the REST–NOA1 Locus Reveals a Hotspot of Regulatory Evolution Across Even-Toed Ungulates
2026 · cited by 0
Demonstrates that gene duplication serves as a major source of evolutionary novelty and genomic expansion across mammalian lineages.