The Mysterious 98%: Scientists Look to Shine Light on Our Dark Genome

UCSF: After the 2003 completion of the Human Genome Project – which sequenced all 3 billion “letters,” or base pairs, in the human genome – many thought that our DNA would become an open book. But a perplexing problem quickly emerged: although scientists could transcribe the book, they could only interpret a small percentage of it. The mysterious majority – as much as 98 percent – of our DNA do not code for proteins. Much of this “dark matter genome” is thought to be nonfunctional evolutionary leftovers that are just along for the ride. However, hidden among this noncoding DNA are many crucial regulatory elements that control the activity of thousands of genes. What is more, these elements play a major role in diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and autism, and they could hold the key to possible cures.

Viruses in the genome important for our brain

Lund: Over millions of years retroviruses have been incorporated into our human DNA, where they today make up almost 10 per cent of the total genome. A research group at Lund University in Sweden has now discovered a mechanism through which these retroviruses may have an impact on gene expression. This means that they may have played a significant role in the development of the human brain as well as in various neurological diseases.

Revamped website unravels mysteries of DNA

Sanger Institute. UK: yourgenome.org relaunch will bring advances in genetics to a wider audience
The revamped website includes factual guides, stories, videos, activities and debates to help people explore genomics; As genomics transforms healthcare in the UK, a revamped website to inform and inspire the curious about advances in DNA sequencing is set to launch at the Association for Science Education's Annual Conference.