Exploring the Dark Matter of the Genome

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A diagram of Drosophilas centromeric heterochromatin which extends toward the center of the chromosomes from the gene-rich euchromatin regions (black). Sequenced regions of the heterochromatin are shown in blue. The gray regions are unsequenced seas ...
A diagram of Drosophila's centromeric heterochromatin, which extends toward the center of the chromosomes from the gene-rich euchromatin regions (black). Sequenced regions of the heterochromatin are shown in blue. The gray regions are unsequenced "seas" of short repeats. Credit: Berkeley Lab

Not so long ago, the difficult-to-sequence, highly repetitive, gene-poor DNA found in regions of chromosomes known as heterochromatin was called "junk." Like dark matter in the universe, the true nature of heterochromatin was unknown.


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All News summaries for June 15, 2007

Firearms Microstamping Feasible but Variable, Study Finds

1 hour ago | User rating: not rated yet
New technology to link cartridge cases to guns by engraving microscopic codes on the firing pin is feasible, but did not work equally well for all guns and ammunition tested in a pilot study by researchers from the forensic ...

Study: Only select group of property fund managers outperform market

2 hours ago | User rating: not rated yet
Only a small group of elite property fund managers are able to consistently lead their funds to gains greater than the market, according to new research co-authored by a professor at Penn State's Smeal College of Business.

Establishing faster-growing, durable football fields

3 hours ago | User rating: not rated yet
A study published in the February 2008 issue of HortScience offers new information that can help schools and contractors get outdoor athletic fields ready for fall sports more quickly. Results of the research study ...

Racism not an issue in firing of NBA coaches, study

3 hours ago | User rating: not rated yet
Race is not a factor in the firing of NBA coaches, although white coaches with losing records had somewhat longer tenures before being fired than African-American coaches with more losses than wins, a new study shows.

Introducing 'Orange Bulldog'

4 hours ago | User rating: not rated yet
Move over ‘Longface’, ‘Spooktacular’ and ‘Trickster’ - there’s a new face in the pumpkin patch. Welcome ‘Orange Bulldog’, a new variety of the familiar fall fruit that may soon be available to consumers and ...
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