Noncoding DNA

In genetics, non-coding DNA describes junk DNA".

Recent evidence suggests that "junk DNA" may in fact be employed by proteins created from coding DNA. An experiment concerning the relationship between introns and coded proteins provided evidence for a theory that "junk DNA" is just as important as coding DNA. This experiment consisted of damaging a portion of noncoding DNA in a plant which resulted in a significant change in the leaf structure because structural proteins depended on information contained in introns.^{[citation needed]}

Some non-coding DNA can be a non phenotypical RNA virus historical relic.

See also

• Selfish DNA
• Eukaryotic chromosome fine structure
• Genetic code
• Intron
• Junk DNA
• Noncoding RNA
• Promoter
• Regulatory sequence
• Telomere

References

• Bennett, M.D. and I.J. Leitch (2005). "Genome size evolution in plants", in T.R. Gregory (ed.): The Evolution of the Genome. San Diego: Elsevier, 89-162. 
• Gregory, T.R (2005). "Genome size evolution in animals", in T.R. Gregory (ed.): The Evolution of the Genome. San Diego: Elsevier.