Genome complexity (Introduction)

by David Turell , Sunday, December 09, 2012, 00:17 (4155 days ago) @ David Turell

it was obvious to me that the discovery of DNA and its coding for protein was just a tiny beginning of the complexity. We now have layers of codes upon codes and expression-of-genes systems galore. Just making protein doesn't tell us how the living cell really operates. Now in plants there are gene-expression non-transcription areas:-
"Conserved noncoding sequences (CNSs) in DNA are reliable pointers to regulatory elements controlling gene expression. Using a comparative genomics approach with four dicotyledonous plant species (Arabidopsis thaliana, papaya [Carica papaya], poplar [Populus trichocarpa], and grape [Vitis vinifera]), we detected hundreds of CNSs upstream of Arabidopsis genes. Distinct positioning, length, and enrichment for transcription factor binding sites suggest these CNSs play a functional role in transcriptional regulation. The enrichment of transcription factors within the set of genes associated with CNS is consistent with the hypothesis that together they form part of a conserved transcriptional network whose function is to regulate other transcription factors and control development. We identified a set of promoters where regulatory mechanisms are likely to be shared between the model organism Arabidopsis and other dicots, providing areas of focus for further research."-http://www.plantcell.org/content/24/10/3949-And further commentary: -http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/discovery_of_100-The more complex, the less likely for chance, and the more likely a case for design.