Some DNA Dismissed As 'Junk' Is Crucial To Embryo Development
Formerly considered useless, or maybe a parasite, the stretch of DNA known as LINE-1 actually plays "a key role" in creating an embryo and embryonic stem cells, research shows.
One of the enduring mysteries of biology is why so much of the DNA in our chromosomes appears to be simply junk. In fact, about half of the human genome consists of repetitive bits of DNA that cut and paste themselves randomly into our chromosomes, with no obvious purpose.
A study published Thursday finds that some of these snippets may actually play a vital role in the development of embryos.
The noted biologist Barbara McClintock, who died in 1992,." (She for that finding in 1983.) McClintock's discovery stimulated generations of scientists to seek to understand this bizarre phenomenon.
