Hurst2004

CREATED: 201001051533 LINK: url:~/Modules/Literature/Hurst2004.pdf Title: The evolutionary dynamics of eukaryotic gene order

Genes that have similar and/or coordinated expression are often clustered.

** Evidence for non-random gene order ** Anecdotal evidence tandem duplications: Hox and globin clusters

Observed clustering of imprinted genes (genes expressed from only one of the two parental copies), could be related to localized cis activity of imprint control regions

Many reports of gene clusters of related function

** Evidence from whole-genome studies Clustering of co-expressed genes on a genomic scale shown by Cho et al. in study of mitotic cell cycle in yeast

Clusters of co-expressed yeast genes rarely seems to exceed 10 genes or a few kbps.

Approximately 15% of C. elegans genes are contains in operons. Stretches of two to eight genes are transcribed into polycistronic pre-mRNAs. Significant local co-expression is still evidence after excluding for operons and tandem duplication.

In Drosophila melanogaster, 45% of genes that are expressed only in testes were found in uninterrupted stretches of at least 4 genes. Average co-expression over 10kb windows, 20% of genes occur in co-expression clusters that span 10-30 genes or 125kbp.