DNA to RNA to proteins. Seems simple enough. If one sits to think about it however, it becomes more and more incomprehensible. How can it be that one twin, with identical genetics to their sibling, can develop schizohrenia or cancer whilst the other does not? How can it be that complex organisms, such as humans being made from only 2% of their DNA?
This is the question that researchers are setting out to solve: is it really only 2% which is used? Is the rest really just ‘junk’? Research being carried out by the University of Queensland very own John Mattick and his teams of researchers states that this is not so. A revolution in genetics is at a forefront.
Organisms are extremely complex, which requires larger and more intricate networks to control their function. It has now been suggested that this complexity, which is not encoded on the 2% of genetic material, is held within the ‘junk’ DNA.
There is now copious amounts of evidence which say that ‘junk’ DNA encodes for myriad RNA, which doesn’t code for proteins, but rather interacts with DNA of genes and messenger RNA that instruct the creation of proteins. It has been said that this myriad RNA is “a self-organising operating system that ultimately determines how, when and where genes shall work, as well as coordinating their interactions and that it is system all on its own. Dr Mattick says that the thought occurred to him when he was considering introns. Why would evolution keep these long stretches of DNA if they were not funcitonally important?
Dr. Mattick believes that this myriad RNA control some of the most simple processes, such as manipulating chromatin to be ready for gene activity, and controlling the process of methylation.
Though there is a long path of discovery to continue along, geneticists have determined, by working out some of the important mechanisms, that this ‘epigenetic’ part of the genome plays and vital role in aging, growth and cancer. Mutations of this material, known as ‘epimutations’ are now suspect to diabetes, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
For any real genetic modification to occur, this hidden world must be understood. Is this world the reason why some gene transfers fail? And perhaps this is the real reasoin for the individuality seen everywhere? This discovery, this new universe could tip all the knowledge about genetics present today.
“There is a whole new universe out there
that we have been blind to. It is very exciting.” Timothy H. Bestor
To read more:
http://www.biotechnews.com.au/index.php/id;119302135
http://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/content/full/210/9/i-a
http://community.emmawillard.org/science/natural-sciences/ns-classes/advanced-topics/articles/epigenetics.pdf
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