Re: junk DNA

Geoff Smith (geoffs@unixg.ubc.ca)
Tue, 3 Mar 1998 21:03:15 -0800


Although, Danny, you shouldn't get the impression that since all eukaryotic
cells have it, all junk DNA is essential or even helpful for eukaryotes.
Birds have very minimal amounts of junk DNA, which makes their cells
lighter, and I'm sure you can see the advantage of that for a bird! This
suggests *most* DNA that doesn't have structural function is probably
selfish DNA that is naturally selected out in birds. The rest... who
knows?

(If you're wondering what *isn't* a eukaryote, there are only two types of
organism that fit that description: bacteria and archaea)

Thom Quinn <swo@execpc.com> wrote:
>
> yes, all eukaryotic cells do!
>
> CALYK wrote:
> >
> > In a message dated 98-03-03 23:05:01 EST, you write:
> >
> > << This is a bit disingenuous. Current hypotheses of junk DNA origin
hold
> > that it comes from meiotic recombination errors and transposons, and
> > possibly other similar things. Given that origin, it will tend to
> > have a complex fractal structure characteristic of many information-
> > containing processes. In a sense it *is* meaningful, because it
> > records DNA duplication "errors" and thus can be a tool for analyzing
> > evolution. But it's not communication, just a record
> > of a fractal process. Certainly "language" is a lousy metaphor for
this
> > process.
> > >>
> >
> > Do other animals have junk DNA?