A Model Relating Gene Replicas and Gene Repression to Phenotypic Expression and Variability

It is suggested that the development of a dominant character in higher organisms starts with the activation of a major gene. This gene replicates; the number of replicas is controlled by a second gene or set of genes, which also ensure that the most suitable allele, if more than one is present, make...

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Published inProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 64; no. 2; pp. 578 - 583
Main Author Rendel, J. M.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 01.10.1969
National Acad Sciences
Subjects
Alleles
Biological Sciences: Genetics
DNA Replication
Drosophila
Evolutionary genetics
Gene expression regulation
Genes
Genetic loci
Genetic Variation
Genotypes
Hair
Messenger RNA
Models, Biological
Phenotype
Phenotypes
Population genetics
RNA, Messenger
Suppression, Genetic
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Summary:It is suggested that the development of a dominant character in higher organisms starts with the activation of a major gene. This gene replicates; the number of replicas is controlled by a second gene or set of genes, which also ensure that the most suitable allele, if more than one is present, makes the replicas. The major gene replicas then make messenger RNA and are reinforced in this by minor genes. The joint product of major gene replicas and minor genes activates a fourth gene or set of genes which produce a repressor that damps down the activity of the major gene replicas. The evidence for this scheme, which comes from studies of selection experiments in populations, is summarized and the evidence from studies of DNA and RNA metabolism is referred to in this paper.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
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ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.64.2.578