Slashdot Mirror
Scientists Confirmed a New DNA Structure Inside Human Cells (sciencealert.com)
Trax3001BBS quotes Science Alert:
For the first time, scientists have identified the existence of a new DNA structure never before seen in living cells. The discovery of what's described as a "twisted knot" of DNA in living cells confirms our complex genetic code is crafted with more intricate symmetry than just the double helix structure everybody associates with DNA -- and the forms these molecular variants take affect how our biology functions...
"It seems likely that they are there to help switch genes on or off," according to Garvan's Mahdi Zeraati, the first author of the new study, "and to affect whether a gene is actively read or not."
"It seems likely that they are there to help switch genes on or off," according to Garvan's Mahdi Zeraati, the first author of the new study, "and to affect whether a gene is actively read or not."
This is exactly the type of article that keeps you my home page, despite the cesspool the comments section can become when social/cultural issues are involved.
Here, pure-ass geekdom. Ahhhh....
- Hey, little piece of DNA, can you tell us what you're for?
- I'm a frayed knot...
It's obviously the documentation. The reason it hasn't been found until now is because nobody was looking for it.
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
Have gnu, will travel.
Tequila
This is my signature. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
The article says: "a "twisted knot" of DNA in living cells confirms our complex genetic code is crafted with more intricate symmetry". Knots are never symmetric. They are either right-handed or left-handed.
This is a DNA structure never before seen in any living cell. Knowing something is "possible" and finding it in a real living system is enormously different.
Starships were meant to fly, Hands up and touch the sky - Nicky Minaj
Slashdot is full of stale perspectives. It's a collection of has-beens and Russian bots.
In Russia, DNA tangles YOU!
This is called itrDNA - "Interfering Tangled Russian DNA". The effect was uncovered by measuring expression levels of the YUGE gene. See the companion papers "Long Term Silencing of MULLER With An siRNA Expression Vector" and "YUGE Is Regulated By Russians" in Nature Genetics.
Short version is that YUGE is influenced by the "Russian" interference. The itrDNA upregulates the production of an siRNA (YUGE) that specifically "colludes" with a not-fully-understood protein called FAKE. The source of the FAKE product is not known, but it can be found floating around. FAKE is recruited by the YUGE siRNA into a trimer (FAKE-FAKE-FAKE) that blocks the initiation complex near the site of genes such as MULLER. The "foreign" hidden Russian cis elements at the beginning of this process had long been suspected, their role was never so clearly exposed before. (This particular itrDNA is tentatively named STEEL because of it's "perverted" yet strong tensile shape; there may be other Russian elements not yet discovered.)
Every time we think we understand the central dogma, along comes a new discovery like epigenetic methylation, siRNA, and now "tangled" regulatory DNA!
Multipass?
Knotted phone cords are caused by picking up the handset with one hand, switching the handset to the other hand then putting it back causing a half-twist each time. So now the big question is, who or what is picking up your DNA? The probability of it being a female here on /. is quite small.
People who live in fantasies are surprised when reality doesn't match, but wonder why anyone is interested when it does match.