Complex multigene families show:
Complex multigene families evolve through repeated duplication followed by functional divergence under selection for novel functions. Unlike simple families maintained by concerted evolution, complex families accumulate non-synonymous substitutions leading to related but distinct sequences retaining recognizable homology while exhibiting variation in expression pattern, ligand binding or catalytic specificity. Beta-globin, olfactory receptor, immunoglobulin variable regions and HOX families illustrate related yet divergent paralogs arranged in clusters with locus control regions. Introns and f
Ref: Alberts et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell, 7th ed., Chapter 4: Complex Multigene Families Related but Divergent Sequences
