Is the function of adjacent genes correlated?

Question

Do genes that occupy a similar locus on the genome have correlated function, specifically in human beings? It is my understanding that adjacent genes are inherited together, and so location plays a role there. However it terms of function, I don't know to what extent location plays a role. Furthermore, if say two adjacent genes have the same expression, does this necessarily mean that their function is correlated, or is that interpretation stretch?

Answer 1

In some cases, yes they do. In the case of the human major histocompatibility complex (MHC) several clusters of genes with related functions occur within the human genome. Another example would be the histone gene clusters. However, 2 genes being located near each other and co-expressed does not necessarily mean that they share a common function, but there are certainly some examples where they do.