Gene homologies and linkage conservation

Rapid progress in the mapping of some mammalian genomes, especially those of man and the house mouse, has revealed the existence of chromosomal regions that have been conserved over long evolutionary periods. Different aspects of this subject have been treated in recent reviews (Renwick 1972, Ohno 1973, Bodmer 1975, Minna et al. 1976, Searle 1976, Finaz et al. 1977, Lalley et al. 1978 and Lundin 1979). Not only has it been possible to identify orthologous chromosomal regions in several mammalian species, but also quite extensive paralogous regions in man and the mouse have been suggested (Lundin 1979). For a definition of orthologous and paralogous genes see Lundin (1979).