Junk DNA: goodbye!: research example (Introduction)

by David Turell , Thursday, April 30, 2015, 13:42 (3496 days ago) @ David Turell

The midbody which is part of the process in cell division cell was thought to be junk, but that doesn't seem so with new research. The lesson here is consistent with the observation that as research progresses junk recedes. 'Junk' is very important to Darwin philosophy, in that a build up of discarded DNA/RNA supports the conception of a random process. The less junk, the more complexity must lead to considerations of design:-http://phys.org/news/2015-04-scientists-discoveries-specific-protein-effects.html-"A new study conducted by scientists at UC Santa Barbara reveals a novel function for WDR5, a protein known for its critical role in gene expression whereby information encoded in genes is converted into products like RNA (ribonucleic acid) and protein. In cells, WDR5 is a subunit of a five-protein complex. Mutations in members of this complex can result in childhood leukemia and other disorders affecting numerous organ systems in the body. The UCSB team worked with WDR5 in cultured human cell lines. The results of the study appear in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.-"'We found that when two cells divide, WDR5 is localized to a very interesting cellular structure called the midbody," said lead author Jeff Bailey, a graduate student in UCSB's Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCDB). "In the past, although associated with cell division, the midbody was considered 'junk,' but that has changed in the last decade. Now the midbody is believed to be important during stem cell differentiation." (my bold)-"When a stem cell divides to produce a differentiated type of cell like a skin cell or a neuron, stem cells retain the midbody while differentiated cells do not. "This suggests that the midbody has important functions," Bailey explained. "Also, when the midbody isn't cut correctly, the cells can re-fuse, creating one cell with two nuclei. This is thought to be part of what happens when a tumor forms.'"