Study Reveals Hidden Regulatory Roles of 'Junk' DNA

New study reveals hidden regulatory roles of ‘junk’ DNA

Credit: ASHBi/Kyoto University A new international study suggests that what was once dismissed as “junk DNA” may actually play a crucial role in regulating gene expression. The study focused on a group of transposable elements (TEs) embedded in the human genome. TEs are repetitive DNA sequences that originated from ancient viruses. These genes can “jump” around and change their position on a chromosome. After their discovery in 1983 by Barbara M…

Study reveals hidden regulatory roles of 'junk' DNA

A new international study suggests that ancient viral DNA embedded in our genome, which were long dismissed as genetic "junk," may actually play powerful roles in regulating gene expression. Focusing on a family of sequences called MER11, researchers from Japan, China, Canada, and the US have shown that these elements have evolved to influence how genes turn on and off, particularly in early human development.