Don Bishop / Getty Images
Junk. Barren. Non-functioning. Dark matter. Thats how scientists had described the 98% of human genome that lies between our 21,000 genes, ever since our DNA was first sequenced about a decade ago. The disappointment in those descriptors was intentional and palpable.
It had been believed that the human genome the underpinnings of the blueprint for the talking, empire-building, socially evolved species that we are would be stuffed with sophisticated genes, coding for critical proteins of unparalleled complexity. But when all was said and done, and the Human Genome Project finally determined the entire sequence of our DNA in 2001, researchers found that the 3 billion base pairs that comprised our mere 21,000 genes made up a paltry 2% of the entire genome. The rest, geneticists acknowledged with unconcealed embarrassment, was an apparent biological wasteland.
But it turns out they were wrong. In an impressive series of more than 30 papers published in several journals, including Nature, Genome Research, Genome Biology, Science and Cell, scientists now report that these vast stretches of seeming junk DNA are actually the seat of crucial gene-controlling activity changes that contribute to hundreds of common diseases. The new data come from the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements project, or ENCODE, a $123 million endeavor begun by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) in 2003, which includes 442 scientists in 32 labs around the world.
(MORE: Decoding Cancer: Scientists Release 520 Tumor Genomes from Pediatric Patients)
ENCODE has revealed that some 80% of the human genome is biochemically active. What is remarkable is how much of [the genome] is doing at least something. It has changed my perception of the genome, says Ewan Birney, ENCODEs lead analysis coordinator from the European Bioinformatics Institute.
Rather than being inert, the portions of DNA that do not code for genes contain about 4 million so-called gene switches, transcription factors that control when our genes turn on and off and how much protein they make, not only affecting all the cells and organs in our body, but doing so at different points in our lifetime. Somewhere amidst that 80% of DNA, for example, lie the instructions that coax an uncommitted cell in a growing embryo to form a brain neuron, or direct a cell in the pancreas to churn out insulin after a meal, or guide a skin cell to bud off and replace a predecessor that has sloughed off.
What we learned from ENCODE is how complicated the human genome is, and the incredible choreography that is going on with the immense number of switches that are choreographing how genes are used, Eric Green, director of NHGRI, told reporters during a teleconference discussing the findings. We are starting to answer fundamental questions like what are the working parts of the human genome, the parts list of the human genome and what those parts do.
(MORE: Why Genetic Tests Dont Help Doctors Predict Your Risk of Disease)
If the Human Genome Project established the letters of the human genome, ENCODE is providing the narrative of the genetic novel by fashioning strings of DNA into meaningful molecular words that together tell the story not just of how we become who we are, but how we get sick as well.
See more here:
'Junk' DNA: Not So Useless After All
- DNA Tests and Stranded Bodies: Ukraine's Struggle to Name Its Dead - The New York Times - May 5th, 2024 [May 5th, 2024]
- Study highlights the role of dynamic DNA structures in memory consolidation - News-Medical.Net - May 5th, 2024 [May 5th, 2024]
- Two identical-looking athletes with same name get DNA test to see if they are long-lost siblings - UNILAD - May 5th, 2024 [May 5th, 2024]
- Patitz Awarded NSF Grant for Research on DNA-Based Nanostructure Research - University of Arkansas Newswire - May 5th, 2024 [May 5th, 2024]
- DNA on bandana leads to arrest of suspect in 2010 Indiana County robbery case - WTAE Pittsburgh - May 5th, 2024 [May 5th, 2024]
- DNA recovered from wine bottle leads to arrest of burglary suspect - WGN TV Chicago - May 5th, 2024 [May 5th, 2024]
- Junk DNA from Three Perspectives: Some Key Quotes - Discovery Institute - May 5th, 2024 [May 5th, 2024]
- Flipons: The discovery of Z-DNA and soft-wired genomes - Open Access Government - May 5th, 2024 [May 5th, 2024]
- New DNA evidence leads to arrest in 1984 cold case homicide of Everett woman - KING5.com - May 5th, 2024 [May 5th, 2024]
- Ancient DNA Reveals Kinship Structure of Eurasia's Avars - Archaeology Magazine - May 5th, 2024 [May 5th, 2024]
- Water bottle, DNA, fingerprints led to arrest of Chicago police officer Luis Huesca's accused killer, police say - CBS Chicago - May 5th, 2024 [May 5th, 2024]
- Jason Licht: Part of the DNA of this football team is trying to prove everybody wrong - NBC Sports - May 5th, 2024 [May 5th, 2024]
- New DNA evidence found in connection with 2014 Georgia murders of Shirley and Russell Dermond - GPB News - May 5th, 2024 [May 5th, 2024]
- Unraveling the roles of non-coding DNA explains childhood cancer's resistance to chemotherapy - Medical Xpress - May 5th, 2024 [May 5th, 2024]
- South Carolina's 'In Our DNA SC' aims for 100k participants in diverse health research - ABC NEWS 4 - May 5th, 2024 [May 5th, 2024]
- Joel Embiid finally discovers he has the DNA of a champion. Down 2-1, can he lead the Sixers past the Knicks? - The Philadelphia Inquirer - April 27th, 2024 [April 27th, 2024]
- Unraveling DNA's role in pop culturefrom superheroes to crime scenes - The Daily | Case Western Reserve University - April 27th, 2024 [April 27th, 2024]
- Elucidation of inhibitory effects of bioactive anthraquinones towards formation of DNA advanced glycation end products ... - ScienceDirect.com - April 27th, 2024 [April 27th, 2024]
- DNA Testing Proved My Innocence of My Son's Murder - Innocence Project - April 27th, 2024 [April 27th, 2024]
- Generative A.I. Arrives in the Gene Editing World of CRISPR - The New York Times - April 27th, 2024 [April 27th, 2024]
- Persistent TFIIH binding to non-excised DNA damage causes cell and developmental failure - Nature.com - April 27th, 2024 [April 27th, 2024]
- Enhanced CRISPR method enables stable insertion of large genes into the DNA of higher plants - Phys.org - April 27th, 2024 [April 27th, 2024]
- Scientists inspired the right guardrails for nuclear energy, the internet, and DNA research. Let them do the same for AI - Fortune - April 27th, 2024 [April 27th, 2024]
- Test your dog's DNA to learn about their heritage and health for only $120 - New York Post - April 27th, 2024 [April 27th, 2024]
- Earth Life Biodiversity: Vast DNA Tree Of life For Flowering Plants Revealed - Astrobiology - Astrobiology News - April 27th, 2024 [April 27th, 2024]
- Katie Holmes and Suri Cruise Share Some Very Stylish DNA - Vogue - April 27th, 2024 [April 27th, 2024]
- DNA evidence leads to arrest of 75-year-old Auburn man - Opelika Auburn News - April 27th, 2024 [April 27th, 2024]
- Putnam NY cold case: DNA test finds skeleton is not Robin Murphy's - The Journal News - April 27th, 2024 [April 27th, 2024]
- Ancient nomads you've probably never heard of disappeared from Europe 1,000 years ago. Now, DNA analysis ... - The Conversation - April 27th, 2024 [April 27th, 2024]
- Genetics Studies Have a Diversity Problem That Researchers Struggle To Fix - Kaiser Health News - April 27th, 2024 [April 27th, 2024]
- Keeping Telomeres in Their Places - The Scientist - April 27th, 2024 [April 27th, 2024]
- WWII veteran Ward Thomas identified through genealogy testing - 10TV - April 27th, 2024 [April 27th, 2024]
- Vast DNA tree of life for plants revealed by global science team using 1.8 billion letters of genetic code - Phys.org - April 27th, 2024 [April 27th, 2024]
- Here is a look at one of the labs that helped uncover new DNA evidence in Lake Oconee murder - WSB Atlanta - April 27th, 2024 [April 27th, 2024]
- This Guardians prospect has baseball in his DNA - 1330 WFIN - April 27th, 2024 [April 27th, 2024]
- DNA identifies last known remains of victims of notorious Green River Killer, cops say - Miami Herald - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- UNE to study why rare lobsters have strange-colored shells - Spectrum News - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- DNA evidence identifies last known victim of Green River Killer almost 40 years later - NBC Right Now - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- New bill would give California parents more control over whether state can store their kid's DNA - CBS News - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Lucas County Sheriff's Office doing advanced testing on DNA found at site of 2011 Clarke and Straub murders - WTOL - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Last known remains connected to the Green River Killer identified through DNA | WTGS - Fox28 Savannah - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- 5 Best Ancestry DNA Tests 2024 To Help You Learn More About Your Health - GLAMOUR UK - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- 11 Investigates: Lucas County Sheriff's Office doing advanced testing on DNA found at site of 2011 Clarke and Straub murders - WTOL - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Researchers improve blood tests' ability to detect and monitor cancer - MIT News - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- DNA test approved for Duxbury's Lindsay Clancy, who is accused of killing her 3 children - The Patriot Ledger - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- 1,650th victim of 9/11 identified through advanced DNA testing - FOX 17 West Michigan News - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- We Think Cavco Industries (NASDAQ:CVCO) Might Have The DNA Of A Multi-Bagger - Yahoo Finance - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- DNA From the Ocean's 'Twilight Zone' Could Lead to New Lifesaving Drugs, Scientists Say - Smithsonian Magazine - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Last known remains connected to the Green River Killer identified through DNA - KOMO News - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- 9/11 victim identified as John Ballantine Niven of Oyster Bay with help of DNA technology - WABC-TV - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Scott Peterson has every right to DNA test: Attorney from case - NewsNation Now - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- DNA from stone age chewing gum sheds light on diet and disease in Scandinavia's ancient hunter-gatherers - The Conversation - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Barbara Lee responds to Nikki Haley: Racism is in the DNA of this country - The Hill - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- DB Cooper 'will finally be identified' after 53 years due to huge DNA breakthrough - LADbible - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Dog Owners Who Abandon Poops To Be Found Using DNA Tests in Italy - Newsweek - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Scientists gather bobcat DNA from paw prints - KJZZ - January 16th, 2024 [January 16th, 2024]
- Discovering Fusions Requires More Than DNA Testing in GI Cancers - OncLive - January 16th, 2024 [January 16th, 2024]
- Largest-ever ocean DNA study uncovers mysteries of marine life - Earth.com - January 16th, 2024 [January 16th, 2024]
- 1st-ever ancient case of Turner syndrome, with just 1 X chromosome instead of 2, found in ancient DNA - Livescience.com - January 16th, 2024 [January 16th, 2024]
- Minnesota Mother Calls on NYS to Allow DNA Testing Finger Lakes Daily News - Finger Lakes Daily News - January 16th, 2024 [January 16th, 2024]
- DNA Didn't Match Marcellus Williams. Missouri May Fast-Track Execution Anyway. - The Intercept - January 16th, 2024 [January 16th, 2024]
- Ancient DNA From Eurasian Herders Sheds Light on the Origins of Multiple Sclerosis - Smithsonian Magazine - January 16th, 2024 [January 16th, 2024]
- DNA's hotel toh kuyabeh mirrors bird flight undulations in tulum - Designboom - January 16th, 2024 [January 16th, 2024]
- Research into ancient DNA sheds new light on cause of Multiple Sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases - University of Oxford - January 16th, 2024 [January 16th, 2024]
- Ancient DNA reveals reason for high MS and Alzheimer's rates in Europe - University of Cambridge news - January 16th, 2024 [January 16th, 2024]
- TIME-seq reduces time and cost of DNA methylation measurement for epigenetic clock construction - Nature.com - January 16th, 2024 [January 16th, 2024]
- Gilgo Serial Killer Suspect Rex Heuermann Tied to Slaying by DNA From Daughter's Can of Coffee: Prosecutors - The Messenger - January 16th, 2024 [January 16th, 2024]
- DNA evidence leads to arrest of Denton sexual assault suspect - The Cross Timbers Gazette - January 16th, 2024 [January 16th, 2024]
- Ancient DNA reveals reason for high multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's rates in Europe - EurekAlert - January 16th, 2024 [January 16th, 2024]
- New technique identifies earliest cases of genetic disorders from ancient DNA - University of Oxford - January 16th, 2024 [January 16th, 2024]
- Ancient DNA could be hiding all kinds of health secrets - Deccan Herald - January 16th, 2024 [January 16th, 2024]
- Ancient DNA reveals reason for high MS and Alzheimer's rates in Europe - ScienceBlog.com - January 16th, 2024 [January 16th, 2024]
- Supreme Court seeks government's view on DNA profiling of unidentified bodies - IndiaTimes - January 16th, 2024 [January 16th, 2024]
- Prosecution Ordered to Release Portion of DNA Evidence to Kohberger's Defense Team - bigcountrynewsconnection.com - January 16th, 2024 [January 16th, 2024]
- Judge orders more DNA disclosure in University of Idaho murder case - KXLY Spokane - January 16th, 2024 [January 16th, 2024]
- Cas9-induced targeted integration of large DNA payloads in primary human T cells via homology-mediated end-joining ... - Nature.com - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- The DNA glycosylase NEIL2 is protective during SARS-CoV-2 infection - Nature.com - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- How an immune response is driven by one letter difference in DNA - Medical Xpress - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- Tracy Morgan Discovered He Was Related to Nas After DNA Test - PEOPLE - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- Scientists testify about DNA in third week of Aguirre trial - The Spokesman Review - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]