Final answer:
The most widely known gene duplication event is associated with the inversion of chromosome 18 in humans. This process allows one gene copy to mutate and potentially develop new protein functions while the other maintains its original function, contributing to species diversity and adaptation.
Step-by-step explanation:
One of the most widely known examples of gene duplication events is the human-specific inversion of chromosome 18. Gene duplication allows for the evolutionary development of new functions for proteins by providing the opportunity for one copy to mutate freely while the other maintains its original function.
During the evolutionary process, once a gene duplication occurs, one of the copies can accumulate mutations without affecting the organism's survival since the other copy continues producing a functional protein. This process enables the duplicated gene to potentially evolve and acquire a new function over time. The divergence of these genes through mutation, selection, or genetic drift contributes to increased species diversity and has been a key mechanism in evolution.