Scientists Vie To Break Junk DNA's Secret Code

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | Roger Highfield

[blam]

Scientists vie to break junk DNA's secret code

By Roger Highfield, Science Editor
(Filed: 06/10/2003)

Huge tracts of human DNA, previously written off as meaningless junk, have been found to contain a hitherto unrecognised "genetic grammar", making the language of our genes much more complex than previously thought.

The discovery is of potentially huge significance, since it could lead to an entirely new explanation for certain diseases and symptoms. A race is now on among teams of scientists worldwide to investigate this cryptic code.

While the genetic recipe of a human being is spelt out with three billion letters of DNA code, only about two per cent of these correspond to the genes - the DNA that describes the proteins that build and operate bodies.

In the latest issue of the journal Science, Prof Stylianos Antonarakis of the University of Geneva Medical School, Dr Ewen Kirkness of the Institute of Genomic Research, Maryland, and colleagues have reported compelling evidence that up to three per cent of our genetic material has a crucial role that is not understood.

They made the unexpected discovery that some DNA regions of humans, dogs and species as distant as elephant and wallaby are nearly identical. These regions of what were once called junk have been dubbed "conserved non-genic sequences", or CNGs, a reference to how they are not conventional genes.

Prof Antonarakis said: "I suspect that mutations in CNGs may contribute to numerous genetic disorders." Defects in CNGs could result in illness while the symptoms of Down's syndrome, caused by an extra copy of a chromosome, might be linked to the presence of additional CNGs.

"Many laboratories are now working on identifying pathogenic mutations," he said.

[RightWhale]

Without checking the bios, I believe Julian was contemporary with Teilhard, and met him in person at least once when Teilhard was getting old. Julian would have probably lived on into the 50s.

[Ogmios]

Are you still obsessing on that?

I thought that you would have gotten over that?

It really doesn't matter what you think, so as I said, I'll play along. It's actually kind of fun.

[DittoJed2]

Sir Julian Sorell Huxley was a British biologist and author who achieved renown both as a scientist and for his ability to make scientific concepts clear to the public through his writings. The grandson of the zoologist Thomas Henry Huxley and brother of the writer Aldous Leonard Huxley, Julian Huxley was born in London and was educated at Balliol College, University of Oxford.

Huxley was one of the most highly visible scientists of the mid-20th century, popular as a radio and television panelist and as a lecturer. Like his grandfather, he was particularly interested in concepts of evolution and growth, dealing with them in the light of the philosophic problems generated by contemporary scientific developments. In his Religion Without Revelation (1927; revised ed. 1957), he suggested that humans could find an outlet for their religious zeal in contemplation of their own destiny, rather than in theistic creeds. In Evolution: The Modern Synthesis (1942), Huxley made important connections between evolution and genetics. His other writings include Essays of a Biologist (1923), Touchstone for Ethics (1947), New Bottles for New Wine (1958), From an Antique Land (1966), The Courtship Habits of the Great Crested Grebe (1968), and Memories (1970).

[RightWhale]

Julian Huxley said that some of Teilhard's ideas of evolution were about the same as his own, but Teilhard went on to put a strong Christian interpretation on evolution, no surprise.

[gore3000]

There are also those of us here who believe that evolution is proof that there is God.

Darwinian evolution denies God. That is the evolution which is being discussed on all these threads. There may be a Christian evolution which states that God designed all species to sort of unfold in time though I have never seen such discussed on these threads ever. Such a Christian evolution is denied by Darwinian evolution becuase Darwinism and Darwinians deny design. They also deny that God created man in his own image.

[gore3000]

Julian Huxley

Thanks for the info, however, the one I speak about, and who was perhaps even more responsible than Darwin for the spread of evolutionary theory was Thomas Huxley.

[RightWhale]

Good. I do respect Julian Huxley's opinions that I know of, mainly from his preface to and translation of one of Teilhard's books.

[DittoJed2]

I don't think, I know. You are the same old Aric2000 with the same old game. Posts 98 & 99 totally gave you away. My post 1034 on another thread lays out the rest of the case. As I also said on that thread, if you wanted to behave with civility, I had no problem with you continuing to post here. But, on this thread, the old Aric is showing up again, which just won't fly. Sorry, Aric.

[DittoJed2]

Thomas Huxley was very instrumental in spreading Darwin's hypothesis. Definately.

[Boiler Plate]

No. You will only be able to find Phillips head when you need a Flat head and vice-versa. This is a well establish universal law that I have investigated and proven in many friends and relatives homes.

[RightWhale]

God designed all species to sort of unfold in time though I have never seen such discussed on these threads ever.

Ah, but that is close to the evolution idea in back of my posts on this subject. Except the design of species part: species would also be a result of evolution.

[Boiler Plate]

I much prefer scientists who are humble about what they do and don't know.

That would be all the honest ones.

[Ogmios]

I see that I cannot continue to play your little game any more.

Very well, Admin, Dittojed2 is obviously trying to get rid of another person that agrees with evolution.

Evolution is obviously something that she cannot abide, and will therefore attack the poster that she feels is a threat in any way she feels she can.

By accusing me of being Aric2000, with the same old game, as she puts it, she is hoping to get someone that disagrees with her and her basic beliefs banned from the site.

Thank you for your time. And I am sorry for calling the you in here, but such attacks, for such a purpose, must be defended against.

I was willing to continue this little game of hers, but it has now reached a point where it is no longer an option.

[stanz]

Really? Assassinate your character? All I did was ask a question. Did I respond to any other posts? Get a life.

[gore3000]

Except the design of species part: species would also be a result of evolution.

No, if God did it they would have been designed, Darwinian evolution denies both God and design.

[DittoJed2]

It's no game. Aric called people "holy warriors" that disagreed with him. Aric was into Wicca/Celtic religion (you said yourself that your name comes from Celtic religion); Aric was into homeschooling as are you and posted regularly there (some of your first posts on this forum I recall); Aric hung around with PatrickHenry, VadeRetro, and Balrog and you seemed to have instant friends the minute you got here, Aric was from Washington State, as are you; Aric frequently signed off Good night (just like that, big G small n) as did you when you first got here, Aric wrote in short snippy sentences, and your writing style is just like his, Aric was very interested in the military, as are you; and to top it off, you have used freeper terminology for people like Tom Daschle, etc., from the moment you got here even though you professed to not be the least bit familiar with this forum. You are Aric2000, banned poster, returned under the name of Ogmios. And, you are starting the same old game and whether F.R. does anything about this at all is up to them.

[Boiler Plate]

A2,
You never understood what evolution was and your attempts to explain it in your own words where always hilarious.
Best Regards,
Boiler Plate

[stboz]

I find mitochondrial DNA very interesting...

Hints of smoked blackberries, licorice and shoe polish....a mouthfull of red ants mixed with the Tampa Tribune.....

[Boiler Plate]

If you had been only been signed up since Sept 28, 2003 how would you know anything about Dittojed2 and trying to get rid of evos? Nice try sweetheart.
Loving Regards,
Boiler Plate

[DittoJed2]

And as far as my trying to get rid of someone who agrees with evolution, that is just a lie. Radio Astronomer believes in evolution. I disagree 100% with him on that issue, but I've never had to push abuse. General_Re believes in evolution, same story. I can easily dialogue with those who treat others with respect as these two men and several other evolutionists do. We may disagree vehemenantly. But, we don't do so disagreeably. It's the folks who jump on threads calling names and personally attacking that destroy these threads. And, if that's an evo, for the sake of having a peaceful place to discuss, you're right, I think they should go.