DNA that does not code for a protein, usually occurs in repetitive sequences of nucleotides, and does not seem to serve any useful purpose.
Example sentencesExamples
Much of the remaining junk DNA in our genome may also turn out to be former transposable elements that have mutated beyond recognition.
He says the idea of using stretches of junk DNA to track genes was well-established by the mid-80s.
There may be yet more genetic variations waiting to be discovered and some of the regions now thought to contain junk DNA may be serving some as-yet-undiscovered regulatory purposes.
Most of the insertions and deletions Britten studied occur in long stretches of so called junk DNA, which includes no functioning genes.
Ohno also proposed that a large proportion of the mammalian genome is noncoding or junk DNA.
To me however, the most interesting components of junk DNA are the mobile genetic elements, also called jumping genes or transposons.
And the mouse's smaller number of base pairs may simply stem from that animal's ridding its genome more effectively of so-called junk DNA sequences than humans did.
Since junk DNA does not code for proteins, mutations can accumulate within it without natural selection weeding them out.
Our human genome is about 90% junk DNA, which comes mostly from viruses.
Zimmer also brings up the argument that simply by making the genome bigger that junk DNA may serve a useful function by making cells the correct size.
Definition of junk DNA in US English:
junk DNA
noun
Genetics
Genomic DNA that does not encode proteins, and whose function, if it has one, is not well understood.
Example sentencesExamples
Ohno also proposed that a large proportion of the mammalian genome is noncoding or junk DNA.
There may be yet more genetic variations waiting to be discovered and some of the regions now thought to contain junk DNA may be serving some as-yet-undiscovered regulatory purposes.
Since junk DNA does not code for proteins, mutations can accumulate within it without natural selection weeding them out.
And the mouse's smaller number of base pairs may simply stem from that animal's ridding its genome more effectively of so-called junk DNA sequences than humans did.
Our human genome is about 90% junk DNA, which comes mostly from viruses.
Much of the remaining junk DNA in our genome may also turn out to be former transposable elements that have mutated beyond recognition.
Most of the insertions and deletions Britten studied occur in long stretches of so called junk DNA, which includes no functioning genes.
To me however, the most interesting components of junk DNA are the mobile genetic elements, also called jumping genes or transposons.
Zimmer also brings up the argument that simply by making the genome bigger that junk DNA may serve a useful function by making cells the correct size.
He says the idea of using stretches of junk DNA to track genes was well-established by the mid-80s.