Multigene Family
Synonyms
Cluster, Gene
Clusters, Gene
Families, Multigene
Family, Multigene
Gene Cluster
Gene Clusters
Gene, Reiterated
Genes, Reiterated
Multigene Families
Reiterated Gene
Reiterated Genes
A set of genes descended by duplication and variation from some ancestral gene. Such genes may be clustered together on the same chromosome or dispersed on different chromosomes. Examples of multigene families include those that encode the hemoglobins, immunoglobulins, histocompatibility antigens, actins, tubulins, keratins, collagens, heat shock proteins, salivary glue proteins, chorion proteins, cuticle proteins, yolk proteins, and phaseolins, as well as histones, ribosomal RNA, and transfer RNA genes. The latter three are examples of reiterated genes, where hundreds of identical genes are present in a tandem array. (King & Stanfield, A Dictionary of Genetics, 4th ed)