What is it in biology?

homology is a biological concept describing the similarity between species resulting from shared ancestors. It is the central idea in the study of evolution because it reflects the branching of the phylogenetic tree. In general, if two species share many properties and genes, it is likely that they differ from each other - ie specified - relatively recently in evolutionary time. As a result, homology abounds in the biological world. Oxidative phosphorylation, the process of using oxidation to produce adenosine triposphate is almost universal biological homology. The process was used by the oldest organisms and modified the subsequent development in evolution, but did not replace it.

On the other hand, brains do not appear in every organism. They are a feature belonging to only animals. Not all animals have brains, but most do it. Whether SP or Neecies has a brain provides a clear hint of its location in the evolutionary tree. Some organisms that have undergone less change since this moment have the brains similar to the earliest. However, it is important to realize thatThese organisms have survived and changed in the same way as more complicated.

homology is often discussed as opposed to analogy. Not every similarity between two organisms is the result of common evolutionary origin. If two species find themselves in an environment that contribute to a specific adaptation, this adaptation may occur separately in both types. For example, Opssums have developed a counterpart of the thumb independent of primates. This result is not very surprising because opposing thumbs are useful. Because evolution is unpredictable and chaotic, analogy is much less common non -homology.

genetics study improved the concept of homology with direct comparison of DNA sequences. Before it was possible to read genetic information directly, scientists had to guess about homology - and taxonomy in general - based on physiological observations. Now the relative similarity of alleles found in various organisms can provideOut strong evidence regarding their evolutionary relationship. Uncertainty about whether a shared property is homologous or analogous can be completely resolved when examining DNA; Statistically, a certain level of similarity between sequences could not occur in itself.

Genetics also created the need for subclasification within the homology concept. Orthology refers to the gene similarities that result from speculation. The paralogy describes homologists between the genes that resulted in duplication in the genome of one organism. Xenolgia is the existence of homology resulting from the auspices of the lateral gene: genetic material transmitted, for example, by a virus or scientists. The existence of xenological homologies complicates the idea of ​​a perfectly one -way branching of the evolutionary tree.

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