A large breakthrough in the study of DNA happened today, as new discoveries in the human genome (genetic makeup of an organism) were found. The last large report on the human genome came in 2003 and the human genome was completely mapped. However they thought that a large part of the DNA was not interactive, approximately two percent. In this new finding they found switches that can turn on or off genes, and about 80 percent of our genes have biochemical functions. This a large biological breakthrough with implications in helping cure many diseases, such as Crohn's disease. Note the research came from many different countries with 400 scientists, 32 laboratories, and at least 1,500 experiments.
Articles on this breakthrough and sources of my information found here:
From the UK:
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/sep/05/genes-genome-junk-dna-encode
BBC News
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19202141
Specifically from Ireland:
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2012/0906/1224323653110.html
From the Los Angeles Times:
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-dna-encode-20120906,0,7798745.story
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