Biological function in the twilight zone of sequence conservation
Abstract Strong DNA conservation among divergent species is an indicator of enduring functionality. With weaker sequence conservation we enter a vast ‘twilight zone’ in which sequence subject to transient or lower constraint cannot be distinguished easily from neutrally evolving, non-functional sequ...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2017-08-01
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| Series: | BMC Biology |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12915-017-0411-5 |
| _version_ | 1811321473579614208 |
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| author | Chris P. Ponting |
| author_facet | Chris P. Ponting |
| author_sort | Chris P. Ponting |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Strong DNA conservation among divergent species is an indicator of enduring functionality. With weaker sequence conservation we enter a vast ‘twilight zone’ in which sequence subject to transient or lower constraint cannot be distinguished easily from neutrally evolving, non-functional sequence. Twilight zone functional sequence is illuminated instead by principles of selective constraint and positive selection using genomic data acquired from within a species’ population. Application of these principles reveals that despite being biochemically active, most twilight zone sequence is not functional. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T13:18:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-56b92812347d4afeb59ce17e5a896797 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1741-7007 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T13:18:23Z |
| publishDate | 2017-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-56b92812347d4afeb59ce17e5a8967972022-12-22T02:45:23ZengBMCBMC Biology1741-70072017-08-011511910.1186/s12915-017-0411-5Biological function in the twilight zone of sequence conservationChris P. Ponting0MRC Human Genetics Unit, The Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Western General HospitalAbstract Strong DNA conservation among divergent species is an indicator of enduring functionality. With weaker sequence conservation we enter a vast ‘twilight zone’ in which sequence subject to transient or lower constraint cannot be distinguished easily from neutrally evolving, non-functional sequence. Twilight zone functional sequence is illuminated instead by principles of selective constraint and positive selection using genomic data acquired from within a species’ population. Application of these principles reveals that despite being biochemically active, most twilight zone sequence is not functional.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12915-017-0411-5 |
| spellingShingle | Chris P. Ponting Biological function in the twilight zone of sequence conservation BMC Biology |
| title | Biological function in the twilight zone of sequence conservation |
| title_full | Biological function in the twilight zone of sequence conservation |
| title_fullStr | Biological function in the twilight zone of sequence conservation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biological function in the twilight zone of sequence conservation |
| title_short | Biological function in the twilight zone of sequence conservation |
| title_sort | biological function in the twilight zone of sequence conservation |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12915-017-0411-5 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT chrispponting biologicalfunctioninthetwilightzoneofsequenceconservation |