Introns Engineered for Genetic Repair

Creation Evolution Headlines ^ | 02/18/05 | Creation Evolution Headlines

[DannyTN]

Introns Engineered for Genetic Repair    02/18/2005
Scientists at Purdue University are using bacterial machines to treat cancer and other diseases.  These machines, called Group I introns, were thought to be useless:

Once thought of as genetic junk, introns are bits of DNA that can activate their own removal from RNA, which translates DNA’s directions for gene behavior.  Introns then splice the RNA back together.  Scientists are just learning whether many DNA sequences previously believed to have no function actually may play specialized roles in cell behavior.   (Emphasis added.)

Though the function of introns is still mysterious (see 02/02/2005 entry), they appear to be highly conserved in both archaea and eukarya, suggesting they are important.  Bacteria have Group I introns that do self-splicing.  Eukaryotes have Group II introns that are spliced by one of the most complex molecular machines in cells, the spliceosome (see 09/17/2004 entry).

Who was it that thought many DNA sequences had no function and were genetic junk?  It wasn’t creationists.  It was evolutionists who looked at treasuries of complex information with their distorted Charlie glasses and saw discarded leftovers of a slow, wasteful, careless evolutionary process.  Now they’re having to play catch-up as the truth sinks in.  Boot out the Darwin Party, the obstacles to scientific progress.

[DannyTN]

Once again Evolutionists made a false prediction of Junk DNA which was proved false. Had the REAL scientific world listened to them, we wouldn't have these potential miracle cures.

Thanks Evo's!

[marktwain]

Who was it that thought many DNA sequences had no function and were genetic junk? It wasn’t creationists. It was evolutionists who looked at treasuries of complex information with their distorted Charlie glasses and saw discarded leftovers of a slow, wasteful, careless evolutionary process. Now they’re having to play catch-up as the truth sinks in. Boot out the Darwin Party, the obstacles to scientific progress.

This is a bizarre distortion of the facts.

Who discovered that there were many DNA sequences that didn't seem to have any function? Evolutionists.

Who found out that these sequences may have some function after all? Evolutionists.

If you can show me where Creationists made the claim that these sequences had important functions that were as yet undiscovered, I would love to see it.

[DannyTN]

If you can show me where Creationists made the claim that these sequences had important functions that were as yet undiscovered, I would love to see it.

This is from August 1995.

"Of course the proposition that any DNA is ‘useless’ or ‘junk’ is highly questionable.7"

Y-Chromosome Adam?

And I wouldn't assume that everyone doing genetic research is an evolutionist. Many are not.

[marktwain]

"Of course the proposition that any DNA is ‘useless’ or ‘junk’ is highly questionable.7"

Pretty good response. But, when I did a search on the net, nearly all the links with Introns and Junk lead to creationist sites. What I saw from scientists on one site that assumed evolution indicated that they thought it was quite likely that Introns had important functions, and said that to include them as "junk" was a mistake.

Shubi, perhaps you have something on file about this? Thanks for any info.

[DannyTN]

If there's a way to search for the earliest reference for "Junk DNA" by itself, that'd be the way to go. Probably predates the discovery of Introns.

[Kevin OMalley]

bump for later