Posted on 08/30/2024 9:44:08 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Researchers have discovered a "spatial grammar" in DNA that redefines the role of transcription factors in gene regulation, influencing our understanding of genetic variations and disease.
A recently uncovered code within DNA, referred to as "spatial grammar," may unlock the secret to how gene activity is encoded in the human genome.
This breakthrough finding, identified by researchers at Washington State University and the University of California, San Diego and published in Nature, revealed a long-postulated hidden spatial grammar embedded in DNA. The research could reshape scientists' understanding of gene regulation and how genetic variations may influence gene expression in development or disease...
Transcription factors, the proteins that control which genes in one's genome are turned on or off, play a crucial role in this code. Long thought of as either activators or repressors of gene activity, this research shows the function of transcription factors is far more complex.
"Contrary to what you will find in textbooks, transcription factors that act as true activators or repressors are surprisingly rare," said WSU assistant professor Sascha Duttke, who led much of the research at WSU's School of Molecular Biosciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Rather, the scientists found that most activators can also function as repressors...
Looking closer, researchers found the function of many transcription factors was highly position-dependent.
(Excerpt) Read more at scitechdaily.com ...
From what I understand they discovered Daylight Donuts first...
The trek to Daylight Donuts was a ritual that happened several nights a week while at WSU. If you were anywhere on or near campus, the aroma of fresh donuts being made at midnight made it impossible to ignore. We would convince ourselves that if we “jogged” down, the calories wouldn’t matter! Then with bag of donuts in hand, we’d slowly make our way back up the hill savoring every last bite.
>> spatial grammar
grammar in technology generally concerns concrete rules of formation opposed to spoken grammar that can vary wildly having similar semantic formations.
Oh my. They’re just figuring this out? Some people already did. One was a friend/roomate of mine. But he was not connected enough so was ignored by major publications. This was back in the 1990’s.
After he explained some basics, I filled in some blanks regarding how digital encoding works. He was a genetics nerd. I’m a math nerd. Turns out they overlap.
He did end up getting a PhD based on reverse transcription.
DNA codes, or the genetic code, are made up of the sequence of four nucleotide bases in DNA: adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T).
Basically it’s a matching binary code. Aka one strand of DNA seta forth one code and the other sets forth the matching code. Example: 10011100 matches 01100011.
Won’t bother with the links but they define value of point, distance to the next point, and twist/torsion. This is how the code builds proteins.
I’m way over simplifying but that should show the general points.
Sorry no idea why that one binary number showed up as a link. Heck half the time I cannot get something to show as a link when I want it to do so.
Nodding my head and pretending I understood that...
Good solid molecular biological research, but this article is PR office hyperbole.
It’s confirming and providing specific examples of decades old theory.
Bkmk
Those naughty genes getting all randy!
Great! Now we FReepers are going to have to deal with constant complaints and pedantic corrections from DNA Grammar Nazis, too!
Regards,
Don't worry about it! I was able to fix it for you!
(All I had to do was reconfigure the deflector phalanx to emit an anti-tachyon beam. Piece of cake!)
So, if you two managed to figure that all out back in the 1990s, you must have made a really big splash in the world of Genetics, right?
Regards,
Me? Not so much. I kept with computers and such.
Dr. James? Yup. Kinda some big ones regarding retro-viruses, how RNA works, a few other things.
He became a a US citizen while getting his PhD. But got tired of the bull#### in US academia so moved back home to Australia. Ya know, got tired of being mocked by people such as some here because he was not connected. Still got some publications and his PhD.
You have a degree in molecular genetics? What, you doubt academia has not been filled with political correctness and the necessity for connections over real science for decades? Huh.
Hey everybody! DNA gots punctuation!
Oh yeah he prefers to keep his privacy so I won’t share links. So go ahead and mock away if you want. He doesn’t care. I do a bit - but not much.
And I’m on board with you.
Funny thing - It actually does.
Link messed up. Try https://www.crigenetics.com/blog/the-language-of-dna
Yup
It was a spinoff from an old BC comics cartoon. Guy walking own the beach and sees a couple of clams walking surreptitiously. He yells out, “Hey everybody! Clams gots legs!”
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