i've wondered if the "JunkDNA" isn't more or less a counter or clock. when some other part reached a given stage, it could then go back to producing useful DNA again.
Posted on 04/30/2006 5:57:12 AM PDT by Tribune7
Yorktown Heights, NY, April 25, 2006 – IBM today announced its researchers have discovered numerous DNA patterns shared by areas of the human genome that were thought to have little or no influence on its function and those areas that do.
As reported today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), regions of the human genome that were assumed to largely contain evolutionary leftovers (called “junk DNA”) may actually hold significant clues that can add to scientists’ understanding of cellular processes. IBM researchers have discovered that these regions contain numerous, short DNA “motifs,” or repeating sequence fragments, which also are present in the parts of the genome that give rise to proteins.
If verified experimentally, the discovery suggests a potential connection between these coding and non-coding parts of the human genome that could have a profound impact on genomic research and provide important insights on the workings of cells.
“Our goal is to apply advanced computational techniques to analyze the workings of processes and systems, in this case the function of the human genome,” said Ajay Royyuru, head of the Computational Biology Center at IBM Research. “Using these tools, we’ve been able to shed new light on parts of the DNA that were traditionally thought of as not having a specific purpose. We believe the innovative application of technology can provide further understanding in the life sciences at large.”
The IBM team used a mathematical tool called pattern-discovery, often applied to mine useful information from very large repositories of data in both business and scientific applications, to sift through the approximately six billion letters in the non-coding regions of the human genome and look for repeating sequence fragments, or motifs.
Among the millions of discovered motifs, the team identified approximately 128,000 that also occur in the coding region of the genome and are significantly over-represented in genes involved in specific biological processes such as cell communication, regulation of transcription, transport and others. In fact, copies of one or more of these motifs can be found in over 90 percent of all known human gene sequences, as well as some genes of other animals where they associate with similar biological processes.
The report on this work “Short blocks from the non-coding parts of the human genome have instances within nearly all known genes and relate to biological processes” by Isidore Rigoutsos, Tien Huynh, Kevin Miranda, Aristotelis Tsirigos, Alice McHardy and Daniel Platt of IBM’s T. J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, NY appeared on April 24th in the early edition of the journal PNAS.
ping
Here you go tallhappy. An example of how evolutionary theory is expanding our knowledge of the genome < /sarcasm>
for your list
Yet another case of one man's junk being another man's treasure.
Ping for possible interest.
Gee, I wonder why arab or muslim controlled populations dont EVER come up with scientific breakthroughs like this? hmmm...
IBM searching for God?
Well, I do know of one professor that had an Arab/Muslim grad. student
(in biochemistry).
The project: develop rapid gas chromatography methods to check for
adulteration/contamination of food products with pork material.
Of course, the student decided to visit The Great Satan in order to learn
the technology...
Oh, a good book on your main point:
"The Victory of Reason"
by Rodney Stark
It discusses why real science didn't develop in the Islamic or
in the Greek cultures.
i've wondered if the "JunkDNA" isn't more or less a counter or clock. Archive
The supposed non-coding DNA could be a genetic booby-trap, set to go off if humans start tinkering with their own DNA.
If you don't understand something as a whole, why would you assume parts of it are junk?
wouldn't THAT be a bite in the azz... 8^)
Note that it takes advanced, complex computer machinery to interpret the potential of this "junk" DNA. Why is it that, just because we are not intelligent enough to understand something, we call it useless? Presumably, this technology was not available even a few years ago. That did not change the significance or purpose of this proportedly "junk" DNA. Rather, our understanding of it changed. Or, more specifically, the interpretation of evolutionists changed.
This is what I wrote for a past Junk DNA post, and contains some links I listed above, but I think it still helps tie it in to how evolutionists get it wrong on Junk DNA.
According to the evolutionist site Talk Origins, "In human beings 90-97% of the DNA is "junk DNA" that does nothing (as best as can be determined.)"
Wikipedia claims junk DNA "is probably an evolutionary artifact that serves no present-day purpose."
Of course, "junk DNA" and "no present-day purpose" really mean "we don't know what function some DNA serves, so we'll call it junk DNA for now."
This ignorance is what led to saying the appendix is useless, or tonsils. (See: Do any vestigial organs exist in humans?)
As science progresses, new functions are being discovered for this "junk" DNA, and evolutionists are having to eat crow.
See also:
‘Junk’ DNA: evolutionary discards or God’s tools?
DNA: marvelous messages or mostly mess?
UCSD Study Shows 'Junk' DNA Has Evolutionary Importance
'Junk' throws up precious secret
Further details on organized matter performing specific functions. But we don't dare infer and teach intelligent design from such things. That's illegal and unsceintific dontcha know. (Separation of science and relgion and all that.)
As I see it, a 21st Century view of evolution has to include the following features:
? Major alterations in the content and distribution of repetitive DNA elements results in a reformatting of the genome to function in novel ways --without major alterations of protein coding sequences. These reformattings would be particularly important in adaptive radiations within taxonomic groups that use the same basic materials to make a wide variety of morphologically distinct species (e.g. birds and mammals).
? Large-scale genome-wide reorganizations occur rapidly (potentially within a single generation) following activation of natural genetic engineering systems in response to a major evolutionary challenge. The cellular regulation of natural genetic engineering automatically imposes a punctuated tempo on the process of evolutionary change.
? Targeting of natural genetic engineering processes by cellular control networks to particular regions of the genome enhances the probability of generating useful new multi-locus systems. (Exactly how far the computational capacity of cells can influence complex genome rearrangements needs to be investigated. This area also holds promise for powerful new biotechnologies.)
? Natural selection following genome reorganization eliminates the misfits whose new genetic structures are non-functional. In this sense, natural selection plays an essentially negative role, as postulated by many early thinkers about evolution (e.g. 53). Once organisms with functional new genomes appear, however, natural selection may play a positive role in fine-tuning novel genetic systems by the kind of micro-evolutionary processes currently studied in the laboratory.
Oh, but the mathematical tool to discover these patterns was designed "to mine useful information from very large repositories of data in both business and scientific applications."
IOW, something designed to find intelligently designed patterns found patterns in the genome.
Thanks for the ping!
"junk" DNA = "We haven't figured out it's purpose, but we're too smug to admit it" DNA
Just wait until it gets sorted enough for Edward O. Wilson's science on the genetic basis for behavior can be applied to humans.
Now I'm not saying there aren't Beagles out there that are excellent retrievers during duck season, it's just not that common.
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