Comparative genomics Created 2026-10-20 Updated 2026-11-05
Comparative genomics compares genomes to identify shared sequences, lineage-specific changes and differences in genome organization. For example, conservation across related species can help identify a candidate regulatory element or evaluate a predicted gene model. Interpretation depends on shared ancestry and correct correspondence between regions: similarity can reflect gene duplication as well as common species ancestry. [ref]
Comparative Genomics Fact Sheet by NHGRI. NHGRI, Comparative Genomics Fact Sheet: shared sequences, function and evolutionary relationships