ENCODE Project Raises Doubts Over Notion of Junk DNA

This week, 30 research papers, including six in Nature and additional papers published online by Science, sound the death knell for the idea that our DNA is mostly littered with useless bases. A decade-long project, the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE), has found that 80% of the human genome serves some purpose, biochemically speaking. Beyond defining proteins, the DNA bases highlighted by ENCODE specify landing spots for proteins that influence gene activity, strands of RNA with myriad roles, or simply places where chemical modifications serve to silence stretches of our chromosomes.

ENCODE Project Writes Eulogy for Junk DNA

No related posts.

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Socioecology Research Today (formerly Pecologix) is a service of Greencore Environmental Information. The editor of this publication is Adam Cherson, MPA-JD (see here for bibliography of scholarly writings).

News posts contain fair use, copyrighted materials (please see individual news source links for proper citation form). Posts to 'Ruminations' category are by Adam Cherson and are licensed under a Creative Commons: Attribution - Noncommercial - No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All other rights reserved.

To search posts fom March 2008 forward, please use the search window above or browse from the categories in the adjoining side bar. Double click any word in any post for an instant definition or explanation.

Scientist at Work Blog: A Vital River, Drained of Wildlife May 24, 2013
A researcher and his family watched as pairs of Irrawaddy dolphins breached and frolicked, their whimsical play in sharp contrast to the species’ grim reality. […]
Dot Earth Blog: Old Batteries Crossing Borders Leave a Toxic Lead Trail May 24, 2013
A proposal for cleaning up lead contamination from small car-battery recyclers in poor countries. […]
Racing the Clock and a Storm: A Way of Life in Tornado Alley May 24, 2013
In the breeding ground of Oklahoma tornadoes, people prepare for the season with the care that the defensive coordinator for their Sooners prepares for the inevitable autumn. […]
World Briefing | Asia: India: Power Failures Set Off Protests May 24, 2013
A blistering heat wave in north and western India has caused widespread electricity cuts and led residents to protest and even attack power company officials and property. […]

Analysis: Bill to Fast-Track Keystone Pipeline Loses Democratic Support. But Why? May 23, 2013
House Republicans push through another bill to speed the Keystone project, but with far less bipartisan support. By John H. Cushman Jr. WASHINGTON – Republicans in the House of Representatives pushed through a bill on Wednesday that would force federal approval of the Keystone XL pipeline without further review. The vote was 241 to 175. The legislation is th […]
To Defeat Keystone, Environmental Movement Goes From Beltway to Grassroots May 23, 2013
Green groups turn away from the political tactics that failed them in the 2009 climate policy fight and join activists voicing opposition in the streets. By Katherine Bagley As decision day nears on the Keystone XL oil pipeline, the environmental movement looks different than it did in 2009—the last time a major climate policy fight took center stage in Wash […]

Socioecology Research Today

eMail Subscriptions

Categories

ENCODE Project Raises Doubts Over Notion of Junk DNA

WELCOME

News

News 2