trait

"After duplication, the majority of genes are still in pairs; however, they show different expression patterns, and many have functionally diverged to regulate different traits," Ma said.

The research helps explain how many cultural traits have been preserved for thousands of years among hunter-gatherer groups across a wide range of natural environments in Africa.

Currently, pedigrees are how horse owners and breeders find out which stallions are in a horse's ancestry, which gives information on the traits a horse may have inherited.

Each card represents different genetic traits that help the species survive various challenges -- disease resistance, temperature tolerance, or the ability to find food.

"This is an incredible trait for a virus to acquire during evolution to control the movement of its key protein," says Zhu.