Genetic divergence
Genetic divergence
Genetic divergence (pronunciation: /dʒɪˈnɛtɪk daɪˈvɜːrʤəns/) is a process in which two or more populations of an organism or species accumulate independent genetic changes (mutations) over time, often leading to speciation. The term is also used in the context of molecular evolution to describe the process by which gene sequences diverge from each other.
Etymology
The term "genetic divergence" is derived from the English words "genetic", meaning related to genes or heredity, and "divergence", meaning a deviation or difference. The term was first used in the context of evolutionary biology to describe the process by which new species evolve from a common ancestor.
Related terms
- Genetic drift: A mechanism of evolution in which allele frequencies of a population change over generations due to chance (sampling error).
- Genetic variation: The difference in DNA among individuals or the differences between populations.
- Mutation: A change in the DNA sequence of a gene.
- Speciation: The evolutionary process by which populations evolve to become distinct species.
- Molecular evolution: The process of change in the sequence composition of cellular molecules such as DNA, RNA, and proteins across generations.
See also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Genetic divergence
- Wikipedia's article - Genetic divergence
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