Concerted evolution
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The explanation on this page is currently wrong
The accepted definition is that concerted evolution is the process whereby individual members of a DNA family within one species are more closely related to each other than to members of the same type of DNA family in other species.
The example below is not concerted evolution. For an accurate description see 14.4.2 of Human Molecular Genetics 2 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=hmg∂=A1680#A1734
Concerted Evolution in Primates
Concerted Evolution is the tendency of the genes in a gene family to evolve in concert (together) with each other.
The common ancestor of primates had two alpha globin genes. As the ancestor of primates evolved into different primate species, each species continue to have two alpha globin genes. Although the alpha globin genes of one species evolved to become very different from the alpha globin genes of another, the two alpha globin genes within each species remained the same code. So although the two alpha globin genes within a species were evolving away from their ancestral forms, they were not evolving away from each other. They have evolved together, in concert. [1]
In contrast, if the two alpha globin genes within a species had evolved independently, then one would see that the two alpha globin genes would have very different codes.
Mechanism of Concerted Evolution
1. Amplification of a gene by whole genome duplication and transposition. Increases the number of a single gene.
2. Distribution of genes by transposition. results in a gene copying and pasting itself into other places in a chromosome.
3. Homogenization of alleles by gene conversion. Some genes have a bias and are more prone to gene conversion than others, thus reinforcing the unity of the genes within a gene family of a species.