Complexity International       /vol09/huen01/ © Copyright 2002     
Volume 09 Received: 
Accepted: 		 27 Aug 2001
04 Feb 2002


Brief comments on junk DNA: is it really junk?

Huen, Y. K.
Abstract
     Only 3% of the DNA in human cells codes for protein manufacture. The remaining 97% is termed "nonsense" or "junk" DNA. Curiously the proof that junk DNA is not junk did not come from biochemistry but from pure mathematics. This is done using the general theory of first order compressibility of k-nary strings. Since DNA-sequences are 4-nary strings and are quasi-periodic, certain properties must comply with the above theory in addition to contraints imposed by biomolecular theory. It can be proved mathematically that genomes are never stable and that the control mechanism for genome stabilisation is by increasing the lengths of introns or junk DNA's. Furthermore, it can also be proved that absolute equilibrium in a genome is an unattainable state. Perpetual teethering at the edge of chaos or disequilibrium is what makes biological evolution possible. Equilibrium will spell stagnation and ultimately extinction.


Full Text

Multimedia Links
(none)

Reference Links


  • Citation Reference
    Huen, Y. K. (2002), Brief comments on junk DNA: is it really junk?, Complexity International, Volume 09, Paper ID: huen01, URL: http://www.complexity.org.au/vol09/huen01/
    		•       Get viewers
    for PS & PDF

     Aladdin GhostScript

    Adobe Acrobat