what is homology?
Homology looks at different species and the similarities between them due to evolutionary relationships. When there are ancestrally shared structures and genes between organisms it highlights a common evolutionary origin and allows us to look at how different structures and genes evolved to their use in different species today. Looking at these different homologous genes (DNA sequences) we are able to see how these genes generate similar function between species and provide insight on evolutionary relationships between species. [1]
[2], [3]
FAA orthologs
Homo sapiens (humans)
NP_000128.1 Length : 417 aa Protopterus annectans (lungfish)
XP_043933906.1 Length : 418 aa Drosophila (fruit fly)
NP_524830.2 Length : 417 aa |
Macaca mulatta (rhesus macaque)
NP_001244458.1 Length : 419 aa Xenopus tropicalis (frog)
NP_001107523.1 Length : 420 aa C. Elegans (roundworm)
NC_003284.9 Length : 418 |
Mus musculus (mouse)
NP_034306.2 Length : 419 aa Danio rerio (zebrafish)
NP_955895.1 Length : 348 aa Arabidopsis Thaliana (thale cress)
NC_003070.9 Length : 421 |
Discussion
FAA is well-conserved across many organisms and has a vast diversity of homologous organisms. All of the species that are seen to be homologous are very different and prove the evolutionary importance of this gene and protein, as it has remained through many different organisms that all serve different functions and is dated back to very early times. Looking at these different orthologs, we can choose a model organism that best fits studies regarding this gene and be able to further prove the function/importance of the gene/protein as it functions in the human.
references
[1] Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2024, March 22). homology. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/homology-evolution
[2] BioRender.com (2024). Retrieved from https://app.biorender.com/biorender-templates
[3] Icon made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com
[2] BioRender.com (2024). Retrieved from https://app.biorender.com/biorender-templates
[3] Icon made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com
This web page was produced as an assignment for Genetics 564, a capstone course at UW- Madison.