From: bivalve (bivalve@mail.davidson.alumlink.com)
Date: Fri May 23 2003 - 15:33:23 EDT
The latest Science has another example of purportedly junk DNA having usefulness; unfortunately for the current ID movement, it is evolutionary usefulness. Here's their summary:
This Week in SCIENCE, Volume 300, Issue 5623,
dated May 23 2003
Putting DNA Sequences Back to Work
Repetitive Alu sequences are part of the nonprotein coding "junk" DNA, but mutations in these sequences can form coding exons. Although this process is associated with disease in some cases, it also is a way for the genome to evolve. Lev-Maor et al. (p. 1288; see the Perspective by Makalowski)
have assembled a database of "exonized" Alu elements and identified the particular sequences and positions that can allow the crucial splicing to occur. They tested their proposed mechanism in a mini-gene construct and found that a single mutation can result in exonization.
Dr. David Campbell
Old Seashells
University of Alabama
Biodiversity & Systematics
Dept. Biological Sciences
Box 870345
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0345 USA
bivalve@mail.davidson.alumlink.com
That is Uncle Joe, taken in the masonic regalia of a Grand Exalted Periwinkle of the Mystic Order of Whelks-P.G. Wodehouse, Romance at Droitgate Spa
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