Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Gene fusion
Introduction
A fusion gene is a hybrid gene formed from two previously separate genes. It can occur as the result of a translocation, interstitial deletion, or chromosomal inversion. The fusion of two genes is often taken as evidence that these genes have related functions[2]. Often, fusion genes are oncogenes; examples include BCR-ABL, FIG-ROS], and TEL-JAK2.
Biologists may also deliberately create fusion genes for research purposes. For example, by creating a fusion gene of a protein of interest and green fluorescent protein, the protein of interest may be observed in cells or tissue using fluorescence microscopy. The protein synthesized when a fusion gene is expressed is called a fusion protein.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]