Control of Gene Expression

By switching genes off when they are not needed, cells can prevent resources from being wasted. There should be natural selection favoring the ability to switch genes on and off.
Complex multicellular organisms are produced by cells that switch genes on and off during development.
A typical human cell normally expresses about 3% to 5% of its genes at any given time.
Cancer results from genes that do not turn off properly. Cancer cells have lost their ability to regulate mitosis, resulting in uncontrolled cell division.