Protein subcellular relocalization: a new perspective on the origin of novel genes.

Gene duplication is considered to be the most important evolutionary process for generating novel genes. However, the mechanisms involved in the evolution of such genetic innovations remain unclear. There is compelling evidence to suggest that changing the subcellular location of a protein can also alter its function, and that diversity in subcellular targeting within gene families is common. Here, we introduce the idea that protein subcellular relocalization might be an important evolutionary mechanism for the origins of new genes.