Evolution of gene expression

Abstract

The process of gene expression converts the information of genes into proteins or non-coding RNAs. After decades of research in Evolutionary Genetics, we have learned that the evolution of gene expression is a key mechanism through which genetic variation generates phenotypic divergence and adaptation. Various genetic mechanisms drive the evolution of gene expression in eukaryotic genomes. These mechanisms have been shaped by evolutionary processes, leaving detectable patterns in gene expression differences between clades. In this chapter we describe several mechanisms driving the evolution of gene expression. In addition, we discuss patterns related to the evolution of gene expression, which have been uncovered by genome-wide and tissue-wide studies.