Breakthrough study overturns theory of 'junk DNA' in genome.

[Deleted member 8431]

_http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/sep/05/genes-genome-junk-dna-encode

Breakthrough study overturns theory of 'junk DNA' in genome.

"The international Encode project has found that about a fifth of the human genome regulates the 2% that makes proteins

[...]

For years, the vast stretches of DNA between our 20,000 or so protein-coding genes – more than 98% of the genetic sequence inside each of our cells – was written off as "junk" DNA. Already falling out of favour in recent years, this concept will now, with Encode's work, be consigned to the history books."

I've always thought that the 'junk DNA' thing was wrong. It just never made sense to me that only 2% of our DNA is actually 'utilized'. At least now, they are finally re-considering it.

"Regulatory elements are the things that turn genes on and off," says Professor Mike Snyder of Stanford University, who was a principal investigator in the Encode consortium. "Much of the difference between people is due to the differences in the efficiency of these regulatory elements. There are more variants, we think, in the regulatory elements than in the genes themselves."

That part is interesting. Especially how variable everyone is at how efficiently they use these 'regulatory elements'.

Enjoy!

 

[Gaby]

Yes, it is official now! Although it's been quite a few years since this was already known. Here is more information from past discussions:

Re: Session 4 March 2012
http://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,27027.msg330775.html#msg330775

And a synthesis:

Re:DNA - Enhancement?
http://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,29051.msg367439.html#msg367439

And more info on:

Another Hit for the Cassiopaeans - DNA
http://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,10663.0.html

 

[Approaching Infinity]

You can read more about the Encode project here:

_http://www.nature.com/news/encode-the-human-encyclopaedia-1.11312
_http://www.nature.com/encode/

The second link is nicely organized so you can read excerpts from each of the 30 papers in various themed "threads".

 

[mcb]

...I've always thought that the 'junk DNA' thing was wrong. It just never made sense to me that only 2% of our DNA is actually 'utilized'. At least now, they are finally re-considering it...

A considerable amount of what journalists, including "science reporters" cook up to ensnare their audiences is "junk." I have not seen credible authors refer to introns as "junk" in recent memory.

 

[Deleted member 8431]

A considerable amount of what journalists, including "science reporters" cook up to ensnare their audiences is "junk."

You are very polite, Megan. :P

Fits the picture very well. We could say that perhaps 98% of what these mainstream entities are saying is junk, not DNA.

Thanks Psyche, that's why I found it so interesting! Another hit for the good ol' C's!

And thanks Approaching Infinity, I'll take a look. And try to understand the best I can. Biology is quite mind blowing at such level of deepness.

Thanks guys!