Examining Emergence of Functional Gene Clustering in a Simulated Evolution

Recent research suggests that rather than being random, gene order may be coupled with gene functionality. These findings may be explained by mechanisms that require physical proximity such as co-expression and co-regulation. Alternatively, they may be due to evolutionary-dynamics forces, as expressed in genetic drift or linkage disequilibrium. This paper proposes a biologically plausible model for evolutionary development. Using the model, which includes natural selection and the development of gene networks and cellular organisms, the co-evolution of recombination rate and gene functionality is examined. The results presented here are compatible with previous biological findings showing that functionally related genes are clustered. These results imply that evolutionary pressure in a complex environment is sufficient for the emergence of gene order that is coupled with functionality. They shed further light on the mechanisms that may cause such gene clusters.