Junk DNA in Y Chromosome explored

Hyderabad, Nov 24: The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) here has found that junk DNA in the Y chromosome has control over the function of a gene located on another chromosome, its Director Dr Lalji Singh announced today.

Addressing the press here, Dr Singh said two thirds of the Y chromosome was made up of repetitive DNA, specifically present in males. It had been thought of as junk. It had now been found that this DNA interacted and controlled the function of a gene.

This study had opened up a new approach to unravel the function of non-coding DNA in the human genome.

Stating it was the first of its kind report of interaction between the Y chromosome and autosomes, via recombination between non-coding and coding RNAs by 'trans-splicing', he said the new discoveries in the RNA world and its role in gene expression were considered a great revolution in modern biology. The report was also the first transcription from junk DNA.

One of the biggest challenges in the field of modern biology was to find the function of junk DNA, Dr Singh said, adding 'research suggested that protein-coding genes may not be the movers and shakers of human evaluation, as scientists once thought. We should stop looking at proteins and start looking at non-coding DNA'.

Over 98.8 per cent human genome was made up of non-coding DNA, which was generally referred to as 'junk'. Less than 1.2 per cent of human DNA coded for protein.

UNI