Article

2009-08-07 Science & Technology

Turning on a section of Junk DNA, in human genes, may sucessfully fight AIDS

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Posted by 3dc 2009-08-07 15:57|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top

#1 Fascinating article.
There are probably 1000's of similar codes hiding in human DNA, inactivated millenia ago, and potentially of use in improving human life. Check out GULO, which is the reason why human beings cannot make their own Vitamin C. Primitive primates like lemurs make their own Vitamin C, though.
OTOH, turning on some of this DNA could cause problems worse than the diseases cured.

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2009-08-07 16:28|| 2009-08-07 16:28|| Front Page Top

#2 You're correct Anguper. There are reasons that they are no longer 'active'.

Posted by Mullah Richard 2009-08-07 18:42|| 2009-08-07 18:42|| Front Page Top

#3 It's a 'cheap' way of saving stuff that was of value in the evolutionary past.

The reason why it is inactive is that there is a 'cost' to activation that only results in a net benefit when the disease is circulating (See sickle cell anemia and malaria for an example).

Of course, all of this happens on evolutionary timescales, which for humans is many 100s to 1000s of years.

Posted by phil_b 2009-08-07 19:45|| 2009-08-07 19:45|| Front Page Top

#4 Anytime a scientist tells you that something nature created is 'junk', you may be reliably sure that said scientist is wrong.

Posted by Steve White 2009-08-07 20:58|| 2009-08-07 20:58|| Front Page Top

#5 'Junk DNA' is one of the Rumsfeldian 'unknown unknowns.'

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2009-08-07 21:01|| 2009-08-07 21:01|| Front Page Top

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