All Topics  
Noncoding DNA

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Noncoding DNA
 
 
  Topics Noncoding DNA Topic Home

In genetics
Genetics

Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of heredity and Genetic variation in living organisms. The fact that living things inherit traits from their parents has been used since prehistoric times to improve crop plants and animals through selective breeding....
, non-coding DNA describes DNA
DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetics instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and some viruses....
 which does not contain instructions
Genetic code

The genetic code is the set of rules by which information encoded in genetic material is Translation into proteins by living cell s. The code defines a mapping between tri-nucleotide sequences, called codons, and amino acids....
 for making protein
Protein

Proteins are organic compounds made of amino acids arranged in a linear chain and joined together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of adjacent amino acid Residue ....
s (or other cell products such as noncoding RNAs). In eukaryote
Eukaryote

Animals, plants, fungus, and protists are eukaryotes , organisms whose Cell are organized into complex structures enclosed within Cell membrane....
s, a large percentage of many organisms' total genome size
Genome size

Genome size refers to the total amount of DNA contained within one copy of a genome. It is typically measured in terms of mass in picograms or less frequently in Dalton or as the total number of nucleotide base pairs typically in megabases ....
s is comprised of noncoding DNA (a puzzle known as the "C-value enigma
C-value enigma

The C-value enigma or C-value paradox is a term used to describe the complex puzzle surrounding the extensive variation in nuclear genome size among eukaryotic species....
"). Some noncoding DNA is involved in regulating
Regulatory sequence

A regulatory sequence is a segment of DNA where DNA binding protein such as transcription factors bind preferentially. These regulatory proteins bind to short stretches of DNA called regulatory regions, which are appropriately positioned in the genome, usually a short distance 'upstream' of the gene being regulated....
 the activity of coding regions. However, much of this DNA has no known function and is sometimes referred to as "junk DNA
Junk DNA

In evolutionary biology and molecular biology, junk DNA is a provisional label for the portions of the DNA sequence of a chromosome or a genome for which no Function has been identified....
".

Recent evidence suggests that some non-coding DNA may be employed by proteins created from coding DNA.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Noncoding DNA'
Start a new discussion about 'Noncoding DNA'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


In genetics
Genetics

Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of heredity and Genetic variation in living organisms. The fact that living things inherit traits from their parents has been used since prehistoric times to improve crop plants and animals through selective breeding....
, non-coding DNA describes DNA
DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetics instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and some viruses....
 which does not contain instructions
Genetic code

The genetic code is the set of rules by which information encoded in genetic material is Translation into proteins by living cell s. The code defines a mapping between tri-nucleotide sequences, called codons, and amino acids....
 for making protein
Protein

Proteins are organic compounds made of amino acids arranged in a linear chain and joined together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of adjacent amino acid Residue ....
s (or other cell products such as noncoding RNAs). In eukaryote
Eukaryote

Animals, plants, fungus, and protists are eukaryotes , organisms whose Cell are organized into complex structures enclosed within Cell membrane....
s, a large percentage of many organisms' total genome size
Genome size

Genome size refers to the total amount of DNA contained within one copy of a genome. It is typically measured in terms of mass in picograms or less frequently in Dalton or as the total number of nucleotide base pairs typically in megabases ....
s is comprised of noncoding DNA (a puzzle known as the "C-value enigma
C-value enigma

The C-value enigma or C-value paradox is a term used to describe the complex puzzle surrounding the extensive variation in nuclear genome size among eukaryotic species....
"). Some noncoding DNA is involved in regulating
Regulatory sequence

A regulatory sequence is a segment of DNA where DNA binding protein such as transcription factors bind preferentially. These regulatory proteins bind to short stretches of DNA called regulatory regions, which are appropriately positioned in the genome, usually a short distance 'upstream' of the gene being regulated....
 the activity of coding regions. However, much of this DNA has no known function and is sometimes referred to as "junk DNA
Junk DNA

In evolutionary biology and molecular biology, junk DNA is a provisional label for the portions of the DNA sequence of a chromosome or a genome for which no Function has been identified....
".

Recent evidence suggests that some non-coding DNA may be employed by proteins created from coding DNA. An experiment
Experiment

In scientific inquiry, an experiment is a method of investigating causal relationships among variables. An experiment is a cornerstone of the empiricism approach to acquiring data about the world and is used in both natural sciences and social sciences....
 concerning the relationship between intron
Intron

Introns, derived from the term "intragenic regions" and also called intervening sequence , are DNA regions in a gene that are not translated into proteins....
s and coded proteins provided evidence that some non-coding DNA is just as important as coding DNA. This experiment consisted of damaging a portion of noncoding DNA in a plant which resulted in a significant change in the leaf structure because structural proteins depended on information contained in introns. Some non-coding DNA are genetic "switches" that do not encode proteins, but do regulate when and where genes are expressed.

Some non-coding DNA can be a non phenotypical RNA virus historical relic that, by chance, happened to provide some benefit and was therefore conserved.

See also

  • Eukaryotic chromosome fine structure
    Eukaryotic chromosome fine structure

    Eukaryotic chromosome fine structure refers to the structure of sequences for eukaryotic chromosomes. Some fine sequences are included in more than one class, so the classification listed is not intended to be completely separate....
  • Genetic code
    Genetic code

    The genetic code is the set of rules by which information encoded in genetic material is Translation into proteins by living cell s. The code defines a mapping between tri-nucleotide sequences, called codons, and amino acids....
  • Intron
    Intron

    Introns, derived from the term "intragenic regions" and also called intervening sequence , are DNA regions in a gene that are not translated into proteins....
  • Junk DNA
    Junk DNA

    In evolutionary biology and molecular biology, junk DNA is a provisional label for the portions of the DNA sequence of a chromosome or a genome for which no Function has been identified....
  • Noncoding RNA
  • Phylogenetic footprinting
    Phylogenetic footprinting

    Phylogenetic footprinting is a technique used to identify transcription factor binding sites within a non-coding region of DNA of interest by comparing it to the orthologous sequence in different species....
  • Promoter
    Promoter

    In biology, a promoter is a region of DNA that facilitates the Transcription of a particular gene. Promoters are typically located near the genes they regulate, on the same strand and Upstream and downstream ....
  • Regulatory sequence
    Regulatory sequence

    A regulatory sequence is a segment of DNA where DNA binding protein such as transcription factors bind preferentially. These regulatory proteins bind to short stretches of DNA called regulatory regions, which are appropriately positioned in the genome, usually a short distance 'upstream' of the gene being regulated....
  • Selfish DNA
    Selfish DNA

    Selfish DNA refers to those sequences of DNA which, in their purest form, have two distinct properties: the DNA sequence spreads by forming additional copies of itself within the genome; and it makes no specific contribution to the reproductive success of its host organism....
  • Telomere
    Telomere

    A telomere is a region of repetitive DNA at the end of chromosomes, which protects the end of the chromosome from destruction. Its name is derived from the Greek nouns telos "end" and mer?s "part"....
  • Vermiform appendix
    Vermiform appendix

    In human anatomy, the appendix is a blind ended tube connected to the cecum , from which it develops embryologically. The cecum is a pouch-like structure of the Colon ....


External links