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The flexible genome

Nature Reviews Genetics volume 2, pages 383–387 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

A principal assumption underlying contemporary genetic analysis is that the normal function of a gene can be inferred directly from its mutant phenotype. The interactivity among genes that is now being revealed calls this assumption into question and indicates that there might be considerable flexibility in the capacity of the genome to respond to diverse conditions. The reservoir for much of this flexibility resides in the nonspecificity and malleability of gene action.

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Figure 1: Genetic epistasis.
Figure 2: Gene network interactions.

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Acknowledgements

Helpful comments on the manuscript were provided by C. Deutsch, G. Edelman, J. Gally, J. Hall and F. Jones, for which I am very grateful. I thank K. McCarthy for assistance with Latin grammar.

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  1. The Neurosciences Institute, 10,640 John Jay Hopkins Drive, San Diego, 92121, California, USA

    Ralph J. Greenspan

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dunce

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no-action-potential

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Morgan, Thomas Hunt

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Greenspan, R. The flexible genome. Nat Rev Genet 2, 383–387 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/35072018

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