Researchers from the Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program at Sydney’s Centenary Institute have confirmed that, far from being “junk,” the 97 per cent of human DNA that does not encode instructions for making proteins can play a significant role in controlling cell development.
And in doing so, the researchers have unravelled a previously unknown mechanism for regulating the activity of genes, increasing our understanding of the way cells develop and opening the way to new possibilities for therapy.
Using the latest gene sequencing techniques and sophisticated computer analysis, a research group led by Professor John Rasko AO and including Centenary’s Head of Bioinformatics, Dr William Ritchie, has shown how particular white blood cells use non-coding DNA to regulate the activity of a group of genes that determines their shape and function. The work is published today in the scientific journal Cell.*
There’s a poke with a sharp stick to any gene ontology.
Roles in associations of genes have suddenly expanded.
Your call:
- Wait until a committee can officially name the new roles and parts of the “junk” that play those roles, or
- Create names/roles on the fly and merge those with subsequent identifiers on an ongoing basis as our understanding improves.
Any questions?
*Justin J.-L. Wong, William Ritchie, Olivia A. Ebner, Matthias Selbach, Jason W.H. Wong, Yizhou Huang, Dadi Gao, Natalia Pinello, Maria Gonzalez, Kinsha Baidya, Annora Thoeng, Teh-Liane Khoo, Charles G. Bailey, Jeff Holst, John E.J. Rasko. Orchestrated Intron Retention Regulates Normal Granulocyte Differentiation. Cell, 2013; 154 (3): 583 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2013.06.052