Gene amplification and duplication is the process in which the genes duplicate to form more copies so that the protein related to that gene is formed in increased amount by coding of the gene.

The expression of a gene in eukaryotes can be increased by increasing the amount of the gene. The genes can duplicate in their own chromosome resulting in increased copies of the gene in a chromosome. This duplication can also occur by the process of DNA replication of only one specific segment of DNA that has that gene. This results in increased copies of the genes too. When the copies of the genes are increased, they undergo transcription and later on protein synthesis. Thus, the gene is expressed more and the protein formed from that gene are formed more due to gene amplification.

Key Points

• Gene duplication and amplification is making duplicated copies of a specific gene.

• Gene expression in prokaryotes can be regulated by gene duplication and amplification that increases the number of genes.

• An increased amount of the gene results in more protein amount synthesized from that gene.

• Duplication is making more copies of the gene, amplification is a result of this as it is transcripted more.

Key Terms

transcription: the synthesis of RNA under the direction of DNA

gene: A unit of heredity; the functional units of chromosomes that determine specific characteristics by coding for specific RNAs or proteins

eukaryote: an organism with complex cells, or a single cell with a complex structures