Duplications, Deletions and Chromosomal Inversions

Duplications, Deletions and Inversions

• Gene duplication can result from unequal crossing-over during meiosis.
• The resulting cell now has two copies of the same gene, which means one can mutate and change function while the other retains the original function.
• Gene deletions occur when an entire gene is deleted from a chromosome.

• Due to the inversion, this chromosome will no longer undergo normal crossing over at the inverted area during meiosis because the inverted portion will not match up with its homologous chromosome.
• This can result in the genes within the inverted region always being inherited as a group.
• However, there may also be an additional mechanism to allow for pairing: the chromosome with the inversion can create a loop in order to properly pair up with its homologous chromosome during recombination.