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BIOL 3046: Molecular evolution Key terms: Directional selection Sperm competition Genetic co-option Mosaic proteins Hybrid proteins Domain shuffling Nonfunctionalization Neo specialization Birth-death evolution Review material Functional divergence T3 & T4 Diversifying selection Cryptic female choice Exon shuffling Schema Gene family Illegitimate recombination Subfunctionalization transposition Frame-shift mutation Sexual competition Sexual conflict Combinatorial evolution Intron phase Gene super-family Retroposition Neofunctionalization Gene conversion Review questions: 1. Explain the difference between directional selection and diversifying selection and provide three evolutionary scenarios which are usually associated diversifying selection. 2. Which is easier to detect, directional or diversifying selection? Explain why this is the case. 3. What is intra sexual conflict? Explain how it can result in diversifying selection at the molecular level. In this case it would be very helpful to use a real biological example to illustrate this mode of molecular evolution. 4. Provide at least three molecular genetic mechanisms for the evolution of novelty or innovation. Do these mechanisms also require novel macroevolutionary processes, or can the usual micro-evolutionary processes suffice? What micro-evolutionary processes might be relevant? 5. Why would you expect that illegitimate recombination among nonhomologous proteins to ever produce a functional protein? How do you expect the pace of this process compares to the pace of change in proteins by mutation. What are some of the constraints on illegitimate recombination among proteins? 6. List and explain the four major evolutionary fates of genes that have undergone a duplication event. Which of these is the most likely outcome and why? 7. Explain why the process of retropostion has been referred to as “sowing the seeds for novel gene function”. 8. Co-option of genetic systems already present in a genome represents an important way in which novel genes or functions may evolve. What if the existing genetic systems in a genome don’t provide a suitable template? Is there any evolutionary hope in this case? 9. Gene conversion is an evolutionary force for homogenization. How does it play a role in the process of functional divergence? 10. What is birth-death evolution? Provide an example how this mode of evolution could aid the process of organism divergence.