Creation Moment 11/21/2012 - "Selfish Genes" R Not So Selfish Afterall

Not so selfish afterall

"Nature has reported evidence that transposons help to regulate gene expression. Transposons are genetic material that insert themselves into the DNA of a host, and were thought to represent “selfish genes” that only had their own propagation in mind, “without regard for the consequences.” Some new studies on the L1 retrotransposon, which makes up about 17% of the human genome (mainly within non-coding introns), have shown, however, that they may do us some good.
The studies “suggest that the insertion of L1 elements into introns can also diminish cellular gene expression in a graded fashion,” the News and Views piece says. “In the words of Han, Szak and Boeke, such L1 insertions provide a ‘molecular rheostat’ with which to govern gene activity � and their bioinformatics analysis establishes that the mechanism is widely used.” If the transposons were truly selfish, “responding individually to darwinian natural selection” “without regard for the consequences,” it has “long been a mystery” what keeps them “at bay.” If the new studies “unveil a major control mechanism,” part of the solution may be to recognize synergy instead of selfishness."
CEH
The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth;
Proverbs 3:19