关键词: 不等交换, 逆转录转座, 重复基因, 基因重复, 全基因组重复

Abstract: Gene duplication mainly results from unequal crossing over, retroposition, or whole genome (or chromosomal) duplication. It is one of the most important factors that influence genomic size evolution, novel gene origination, species differentiation, genetic robustness against null mutations and so on. In this review, we summarized the studies of the molecular mechanisms of gene duplication, the preservation of duplicated gene, the selections acting on duplicated gene, the alternative ways of divergence and the evolution rate.