Monday, September 29, 2014

"The Human Genome Is In Stalemate in the War Against Itself"

"There’s a sense of futility about this. Much of our genome seems to be engaged in an ultimately pointless duel whether neither side can give or gain any ground. But these battles aren’t quite as fruitless as they might seem."

"The team found that KZNFs partly suppress the genes around a retrotransposon too. When the cops finds their target, they tell all the bystanders to the lie on the ground too. This is important because it seriously affects the activity of many human genes, beyond retrotransposons. It means that KZNFs can eventually be used to control the activity of genes that jumping genes land next to. (“Excuse me, officer, but while you’re manhandling your suspect, would you mind also rescuing my cat?”) This arms race could have given rise to more complicated networks of genes, and perhaps more complicated bodies or behaviours." (read the whole thing)

3 comments:

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

I'll read the whole thing when it comes out on audio disk and I can borrow it from the library, thankyouverymuch!!!

rhhardin said...

In a search of Steve Carrel flicks that might be as good as Get Smart (2008) I ran into a bunch of unmemorable DVDs. Plots with no particular truthy heart to them.

The last one, with the unpromising title, is a laugh riot

Dinner for Schmucks (2010)

Highly recommended.

The genome war takes on a new meaning.

Known Unknown said...

Working with a client that tests almost all of the genome for gene anomalies that correspond to different cancers. Amazing, cutting-edge stuff. Have no idea, however, how the jumping genes affect what they are working on.