Scientists Discover Double Function in Genetic Code

[frohike]

I knew this already from playing Halo, but anyway...

Scientists discover double meaning in genetic code
http://www.washington.edu/news/2013/12/12/scientists-discover-double-meaning-in-genetic-code/

Since the genetic code was deciphered in the 1960s, scientists have assumed that it was used exclusively to write information about proteins. UW scientists were stunned to discover that genomes use the genetic code to write two separate languages. One describes how proteins are made, and the other instructs the cell on how genes are controlled. One language is written on top of the other, which is why the second language remained hidden for so long.

"For over 40 years we have assumed that DNA changes affecting the genetic code solely impact how proteins are made," said Stamatoyannopoulos. "Now we know that this basic assumption about reading the human genome missed half of the picture. These new findings highlight that DNA is an incredibly powerful information storage device, which nature has fully exploited in unexpected ways."

The genetic code uses a 64-letter alphabet called codons. The UW team discovered that some codons, which they called duons, can have two meanings, one related to protein sequence, and one related to gene control. These two meanings seem to have evolved in concert with each other. The gene control instructions appear to help stabilize certain beneficial features of proteins and how they are made.

The discovery of duons has major implications for how scientists and physicians interpret a patient's genome and will open new doors to the diagnosis and treatment of disease.

From reddit:

The "double meaning" is simply silly overblown language saying that a sequence of DNA base-pairs might simultaneously be exonal AND regulatory AT THE SAME TIME (in a way that shows a unique pattern of conservation). Previously to this, nobody had looked inside of exons for the effect of regulatory regions on exon conservation genome-wide (though we've known regulatory regions are pretty much everywhere else in the genome, including within non-coding gene sequences and introns, and that they are evolutionarily conserved to a lesser degree than codons. Edit: Also been known regulatory regions are IN exons.). That's all. This science is legitimate (though of course they are only PREDICTING that these sequences are regulatory based on a genome-wise assay, and to PROVE this will require follow-up functional studies, which are probably in progress already); I just wish they wouldn't wash it down by using silly advertising terminology like "duons" to appeal to the lowest common denominator.

Natural headline: "There are transcription-factor binding sites inside exons."
This headline: "Genes encode information in two languages!"

 

[Tenna]

If they can discover that, a tinnitus patch should be in range

 

[frohike]

"Tinnitus service pack": DNA hack delivered by recombinant virus. +5 focus, +5 mana regen. Use: activates hair cell regeneration. Available free on XBox Live with a gold subscription.