Junk DNA : a journey through the dark matter of the genome

Intro Copyright Page Dedication Contents Acknowledgements Notes on Nomenclature An Introduction to Genomic Dark Matter 1. Why Dark Matter Matters 2. When Dark Matter Turns Very Dark Indeed 3. Where Did All the Genes Go? 4. Outstaying an Invitation 5. Everything Shrinks When We Get Old 6. Two is the Perfect Number 7. Painting with Junk 8. Playing the Long Game 9. Adding Colour to the Dark Matter 10. Why Parents Love Junk 11. Junk with a Mission 12. Switching It On, Turning It Up 13. No Man's Land 14. Project ENCODE -- Big Science Comes to Junk DNA 15. Headless Queens, Strange Cats and Portly Mice16. Lost in Untranslation 17. Why LEGO is Better Than Airfix 18. Mini Can Be Mighty 19. The Drugs Do Work (Sometimes) 20. Some Light in the Darkness Notes Appendix: Human Diseases in which Junk DNA Has Been Implicated Index 'A book that would have had Darwin swooning - anyone seriously interested in who we are and how we function should read this.'Guardian At the beginning of this century enormous progress had been made in genetics. The Human Genome Project finished sequencing human DNA. It seemed it was only a matter of time until we had all the answers to the secrets of life on this planet.The cutting-edge of biology, however, is telling us that we still don't even know all of the questions.How is it that, despite each cell in your body carrying exactly the same DNA, you don't have teeth growing out of your eyeballs or toenails on your liver? How is it that identical twins share exactly the same DNA and yet can exhibit dramatic differences in the way that they live and grow?It turns out that cells read the genetic code in DNA more like a script to be interpreted than a mould that replicates the same result each time. This is epigenetics and it's the fastest-moving field in biology today.The Epigenetics Revolution traces the thrilling path this discipline has taken over the last twenty years. Biologist Nessa Carey deftly explains such diverse phenomena as how queen bees and ants control their colonies, why tortoiseshell cats are always female, why some plants need a period of cold before they can flower, why we age, develop disease and become addicted to drugs, and much more. Most excitingly, Carey reveals the amazing possibilities for humankind that epigenetics offers for us all - and in the surprisingly near future. At the beginning of this century enormous progress had been made in genetics. The Human Genome Project finished sequencing human DNA. It seemed it was only a matter of time until we had all the answers to the secrets of life on this planet. The cutting-edge of biology, however, is telling us that we still don't even know all of the questions. How is it that, despite each cell in your body carrying exactly the same DNA, you don't have teeth growing out of your eyeballs or toenails on your liver? How is it that identical twins share exactly the same DNA and yet can exhibit dramatic differences in the way that they live and grow? It turns out that cells read the genetic code in DNA more like a script to be interpreted than a mould that replicates the same result each time. This is epigenetics and it's the fastest-moving field in biology today. The Epigenetics Revolution traces the thrilling path this discipline has taken over the last twenty years. Biologist Nessa Carey deftly explains such diverse phenomena as how queen bees and ants control their colonies, why tortoiseshell cats are always female, why some plants need a period of cold before they can flower, why we age, develop disease and become addicted to drugs, and much more. Most excitingly, Carey reveals the amazing possibilities for humankind that epigenetics offers for us all - and in the surprisingly near future From The Author Of The Acclaimed The Epigenetics Revolution (‘a Book That Would Have Had Darwin Swooning’ – Guardian) Comes Another Thrilling Exploration Of The Cutting Edge Of Human Science. For Decades After The Structure Of Dna Was Identified, Scientists Focused Purely On Genes, The Regions Of The Genome That Contain Codes For The Production Of Proteins. Other Regions – 98% Of The Human Genome – Were Dismissed As ‘junk’. But In Recent Years Researchers Have Discovered That Variations In This ‘junk’ Dna Underlie Many Previously Intractable Diseases, And They Can Now Generate New Approaches To Tackling Them. Nessa Carey Explores, For The First Time For A General Audience, The Incredible Story Behind A Controversy That Has Generated Unusually Vituperative Public Exchanges Between Scientists. She Shows How Junk Dna Plays An Important Role In Areas As Diverse As Genetic Diseases, Viral Infections, Sex Determination In Mammals, Human Biological Complexity, Disease Treatments, Even Evolution Itself – And Reveals How We Are Only Now Truly Unlocking Its Secrets, More Than Half A Century After Crick And Watson Won Their Nobel Prize For The Discovery Of The Structure Of Dna In 1962. "Epigenetics can potentially revolutionize our understanding of the structure and behavior of biological life on Earth. It explains why mapping an organism's genetic code is not enough to determine how it develops or acts and shows how nurture combines with nature to engineer biological diversity. Surveying the twenty-year history of the field while also highlighting its latest findings and innovations, this volume provides a readily understandable introduction to the foundations of epigenetics. Nessa Carey, a leading epigenetics researcher, connects the field's arguments to such diverse phenomena as how ants and queen bees control their colonies; why tortoiseshell cats are always female; why some plants need cold weather before they can flower; and how our bodies age and develop disease. Reaching beyond biology, epigenetics now informs work on drug addiction, the long-term effects of famine, and the physical and psychological consequences of childhood trauma. Carey concludes with a discussion of the future directions for this research and its ability to improve human health and well-being."--Amazon.com. & lsquo;A book that would have had Darwin swooning & hellip; anyone seriously interested in who we are and how we function should read this book & rsquo; Guardian. At the beginning of this century enormous progress had been made in genetics. The Human Genome Project finished sequencing human DNA. It seemed it was only a matter of time until we had all the answers to the secrets of life on this planet. The cutting-edge of biology, however, is telling us that we still don't even know all of the questions. It turns out that cells read the genetic code in DNA more like a script to be interpreted than Epigenetics has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of the structure and behavior of biological life on earth. It explains why mapping an organism's DNA code is not enough to determine how it develops or acts and shows how nurture combines with nature to engineer biological diversity. Conducting a survey of the twenty-year history of the field while also showcasing its latest findings, this volume provides a solid introduction for grasping the foundations of epigenetics, the field's recent discoveries and innovations, and its practical and theoretical applications. Epigenetics is Dedication; Copyright Page; Contents; Acknowledgements; Notes on Nomenclature; An Introduction to Genomic Dark Matter; 1. Why Dark Matter Matters; 2. When Dark Matter Turns Very Dark Indeed; 3. Where Did All the Genes Go?; 4. Outstaying an Invitation; 5. Everything Shrinks When We Get Old; 6. Two is the Perfect Number; 7. Painting with Junk; 8. Playing the Long Game; 9. Adding Colour to the Dark Matter; 10. Why Parents Love Junk; 11. Junk with a Mission; 12. Switching It On, Turning It Up; 13. No Man's Land; 14. Project ENCODE - Big Science Comes to Junk DNA Cutting-edge popular science from the author of the brilliant The Epigenetics Revolution.