生物技术通报 ›› 2025, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (6): 38-48.doi: 10.13560/j.cnki.biotech.bull.1985.2024-1239

• 综述与专论 • 上一篇    下一篇

基因组进化过程中的基因丢失机制与功能研究进展

周熠(), 刘勇波()   

  1. 中国环境科学研究院 生态环境部区域生态过程与功能评估重点实验室,北京 100012
  • 收稿日期:2024-12-23 出版日期:2025-06-26 发布日期:2025-06-30
  • 通讯作者: 刘勇波,男,博士,研究方向 :生物多样性与生物安全;E-mail: liuyb@craes.org.cn
  • 作者简介:周熠,男,硕士研究生,研究方向 :生物多样性与生物安全;E-mail: yizhou623105@gmail.com
  • 基金资助:
    国家自然科学基金项目(31200288)

Research Progress in the Mechanisms and Functions of Gene Loss in Genome Evolution

ZHOU Yi(), LIU Yong-bo()   

  1. MEE Key Laboratory of Regional Ecological Process and Functional Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012
  • Received:2024-12-23 Published:2025-06-26 Online:2025-06-30

摘要:

基因丢失在生物中广泛存在,是基因组进化的重要机制,对生物的环境适应和物种分化具有重要意义。然而,基因丢失如何发生以及会造成怎样影响等尚未完全阐明。本文综述了基因丢失的分子机制、功能和偏好性等方面的研究进展。基因丢失主要由DNA复制错误、转座活动和染色体结构变异等内在机制引发,并受到遗传漂变和自然选择等进化因素的影响。基因丢失可能通过优化资源利用、简化代谢途径和增强环境适应性,从而提高生物的生存和繁殖能力。然而,关键功能基因的丢失可能削弱生物对环境变化的适应能力,并进一步增加生存风险。基因丢失表现出非随机的偏好性,受基因功能、表达水平、剂量敏感性、基因组位置和蛋白质网络结构等因素影响。基因丢失与基因复制、水平基因转移等机制相互作用,共同维持了基因组“获得-丢失”的动态平衡。未来研究应进一步关注基因丢失的代价与风险,解析其在调控适应性策略中的具体机制及其对环境适应的影响,并探讨其在物种分化和适应性进化中的作用,从而推动其在遗传及生物工程育种等领域的应用。

关键词: 基因丢失, 基因组进化, 适应性进化, 基因功能, 丢失偏好性

Abstract:

Gene loss is widespread among organisms and is one of crucial mechanisms in the evolution of genomes, contributing significantly to environmental adaptation and speciation. However, how gene loss happens and its implications remain unclear. This review synthesizes research progress in understanding the molecular mechanisms, functional consequences, and bias patterns of gene loss. Gene loss primarily arises from intrinsic mechanisms such as DNA replication errors, transposon activities, and chromosome structural variations, with additional influences from genetic drift, natural selection and other evolutionary forces. While gene loss can enhance the survival and reproductive capacities of organisms by optimizing resource utilization, streamlining metabolic pathways, and improving environmental adaptability, it likely inhibits adaptive flexibility to environmental changes due to the loss of critical functional genes, thereby increasing survival risks. Gene loss demonstrates non-random preferences, which is influenced by gene function, expression level, dosage sensitivity, genomic location, and protein network topology. Gene loss interacts with gene duplication, horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and other mechanisms to maintain a dynamic balance between genome reduction and expansion. In the future, it is essential to investigate the trade-offs and risks associated with gene loss, to clarify the mechanisms of gene loss in regulating adaptive strategies and its impacts on environmental adaptation, particularly in speciation and adaptive evolution, and ultimately to advance its applications in genetic and bioengineering breeding.

Key words: gene loss, genome evolution, adaptive evolution, gene function, loss bias