Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
ortholog
noun
/ˈɔr.θə.lɔɡ/
Definition
A gene in different species that evolved from a common ancestor by speciation.
Examples
- Human hemoglobin and mouse hemoglobin are orthologs.
- The study of orthologs can reveal evolutionary relationships between species.
- Researchers often utilize orthologs to predict gene functions across different organisms.
Meaning
Orthologs are genes in different organisms that share a common ancestral gene and usually have similar functions.
Synonyms
- gene counterpart
- homolog
