Family Tree (Pedigree) of a Gene

We are talking about pedigrees, family trees all the time. Such diagrammatic descriptions show the presence of a genetic trait, often a genetic disease within a families. For example Csystic fibrosıs is a genetic trait of CFTR (Cycstic Fibrosis Trans-membrane Receptor)gene. The genetic alteration is at the codon 508 and it ıs common in Jewish families.

However, genes are also living organisms. They propagate from generation to generation, i.e. they give birth to new genes. Sometimes a baby gene gets a mutation and differs from the parent gene. The mutation can be good in nature or else bad in nature.

Why don't we draw a family pedigree for genes one by one. With the CFTR example, the CFTRs (family surname) members in New-Jersey are more likely to be codon508 mutants.

This is neither a nice story made up today, nor a work of science-fiction. Bioinformaticians are doing these things today and watch Google in 5 years. In 5 years we are going to enter a gene name on the search bar and see all the family members with different mutations on the world map graphically.

No matter what I say, Google will do that.

The figure is kindly adapted from "http://genomebiology.com/2006/7/S1/S2" on visual appeal.