What is another word for orphan gene?
Pronunciation: [ˈɔːfən d͡ʒˈiːn] (IPA) 
An orphan gene is a unique gene that exists only in a particular organism or lineage. Synonyms that may be used for orphan genes include 'novel genes', 'taxonomically restricted genes', 'orphan ORFs', 'lone genes', and 'orphan transcripts'. These terms highlight the fact that orphan genes are those that don't have any known homologs in other organisms and are specific to a particular taxonomic group. These genes may arise due to various evolutionary processes such as gene duplication, horizontal gene transfer, or de novo gene evolution. Understanding orphan genes is crucial in biology as they can provide insight into the genetics and evolution of organisms, and potentially reveal new targets for disease treatment and genetic engineering.
