New Code Discovered in DNA?

anthemaniac writes "The NY Times is reporting that scientists have found a second code in DNA that goes beyond the genes. The code is superimposed genetic information and 'sets the placement of the nucleosomes, miniature protein spools around which the DNA is looped. The spools both protect and control access to the DNA itself. The discovery, if confirmed, could open new insights into the higher order control of the genes, like the critical but still mysterious process by which each type of human cell is allowed to activate the genes it needs but cannot access the genes used by other types of cell.'"

Comments

The most important question...

[__aaclcg7560]

Can you program your DNA with PHP?

Survival of the Fitness to Print

[Doc Ruby]

Geneticists have already found a "second code" in DNA, called methylation. And that NYTimes article also reduces the basebair redundancy to "wiggle room".

The underlying research, published in Nature magazine, is extremely interesting and valuable, no doubt valid. The NYTimes coverage is oversimplified into wrongness out of reporter ignorance, and an insult to both readers and scientists.

Re:Original article

[BigCheese]

Yes, it is an article. There are a lot of words. Since I am not a bioligist (IANAB) that's as far as I got.

Re:Precisely.

[Anonymous Coward]

Viruses. People who say "virii" look very stupid. Don't look stupid, say "viruses".

Re:So wait ... wait wait... don't TELL me...

[davidsyes]

the mod who gave me 0, troll must be a hyper-reactionary religious nutcase, or must be an employee or benefactor of the pharma/biomeds, or both... or something else...

Any astute person would realize a wee bit of irony and sarcasm (and poor wit, too) in my previous post: IF "god" didn't want humans to access the DNA, then "god" would have used his/her/its hand to keep humans out.

Now, I'll chance the bush-clan reaction:

IF "god" is allowing scientists to access the "wrapper" or second DNA layer just (supposedly just) discovered, then the administration has no fucking business calling the shots. Fortunately, OTHER countries are seeing fit to exploit this information. I just hope the exploitation is for the GOOD injured/defect-affected and not JUST the PROFIT of some businesses.

Shee, some people need to get some sex (or, to borrow a phrase from the auto-checkout thread... some "electron-auto-erotic strangulation stimulation) and lay off the 0, troll mod power...