Conserved Sequence
In biology, conserved sequences are similar or identical sequences that occur within nucleic acid sequences (such as RNA and DNA sequences), protein sequences, protein structures or polymeric carbohydrates across species (orthologous sequences) or within different molecules produced by the same organism (paralogous sequences). In the case of cross species conservation, this indicates that a particular sequence may have been maintained by evolution despite speciation. The further back up the phylogenetic tree a particular conserved sequence may occur the more highly conserved it is said to be. Since sequence information is normally transmitted from parents to progeny by genes, a conserved sequence implies that there is a conserved gene.
It is widely believed that mutation in a "highly conserved" region leads to a non-viable life form, or a form that is eliminated through natural selection.
Read more about Conserved Sequence: Conserved Nucleic Acid Sequences, Conserved Protein Sequences and Structures, Conserved Polymeric Carbohydrate Sequences, Biological Role of Sequence Conservation
Famous quotes containing the word sequence:
“We have defined a story as a narrative of events arranged in their time-sequence. A plot is also a narrative of events, the emphasis falling on causality. “The king died and then the queen died” is a story. “The king died, and then the queen died of grief” is a plot. The time sequence is preserved, but the sense of causality overshadows it.”
—E.M. (Edward Morgan)