Junk DNA

A Journey Through the Dark Matter of the Genome

Nonfiction, Science & Nature, Science, Biological Sciences, Biochemistry, Genetics, Evolution
Cover of the book Junk DNA by Nessa Carey, Columbia University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Nessa Carey ISBN: 9780231539418
Publisher: Columbia University Press Publication: April 14, 2015
Imprint: Columbia University Press Language: English
Author: Nessa Carey
ISBN: 9780231539418
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Publication: April 14, 2015
Imprint: Columbia University Press
Language: English

For decades after the identification of the structure of DNA, scientists focused only on genes, the regions of the genome that contain codes for the production of proteins. Other regions that make up 98 percent of the human genome were dismissed as "junk," sequences that serve no purpose. But researchers have recently discovered variations and modulations in this junk DNA that are involved with a number of intractable diseases. Our increasing knowledge of junk DNA has led to innovative research and treatment approaches that may finally ameliorate some of these conditions.

Junk DNA can play vital and unanticipated roles in the control of gene expression, from fine-tuning individual genes to switching off entire chromosomes. These functions have forced scientists to revisit the very meaning of the word "gene" and have engendered a spirited scientific battle over whether or not this genomic "nonsense" is the source of human biological complexity. Drawing on her experience with leading scientific investigators in Europe and North America, Nessa Carey provides a clear and compelling introduction to junk DNA and its critical involvement in phenomena as diverse as genetic diseases, viral infections, sex determination in mammals, and evolution. We are only now unlocking the secrets of junk DNA, and Nessa Carey's book is an essential resource for navigating the history and controversies of this fast-growing, hotly disputed field.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

For decades after the identification of the structure of DNA, scientists focused only on genes, the regions of the genome that contain codes for the production of proteins. Other regions that make up 98 percent of the human genome were dismissed as "junk," sequences that serve no purpose. But researchers have recently discovered variations and modulations in this junk DNA that are involved with a number of intractable diseases. Our increasing knowledge of junk DNA has led to innovative research and treatment approaches that may finally ameliorate some of these conditions.

Junk DNA can play vital and unanticipated roles in the control of gene expression, from fine-tuning individual genes to switching off entire chromosomes. These functions have forced scientists to revisit the very meaning of the word "gene" and have engendered a spirited scientific battle over whether or not this genomic "nonsense" is the source of human biological complexity. Drawing on her experience with leading scientific investigators in Europe and North America, Nessa Carey provides a clear and compelling introduction to junk DNA and its critical involvement in phenomena as diverse as genetic diseases, viral infections, sex determination in mammals, and evolution. We are only now unlocking the secrets of junk DNA, and Nessa Carey's book is an essential resource for navigating the history and controversies of this fast-growing, hotly disputed field.

More books from Columbia University Press

Cover of the book Knowledge, Power, and Academic Freedom by Nessa Carey
Cover of the book Transracial and Intercountry Adoptions by Nessa Carey
Cover of the book The Columbia Anthology of Modern Korean Poetry by Nessa Carey
Cover of the book Gray Sabbath by Nessa Carey
Cover of the book Everyone Dies Young by Nessa Carey
Cover of the book Political Liberalism by Nessa Carey
Cover of the book The Watchdog That Didn’t Bark by Nessa Carey
Cover of the book Motion(less) Pictures by Nessa Carey
Cover of the book Music, Madness, and the Unworking of Language by Nessa Carey
Cover of the book The Columbia Documentary History of Race and Ethnicity in America by Nessa Carey
Cover of the book The Invention of Private Life by Nessa Carey
Cover of the book Slow Movies by Nessa Carey
Cover of the book Scales of Justice by Nessa Carey
Cover of the book The Columbia Anthology of Yuan Drama by Nessa Carey
Cover of the book Italian Neorealism by Nessa Carey
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy