They quit calling it junk:
Scientists have now drafted a complete version of the human genome sequence — but the job of deciphering our DNA has only just begun.
Why it matters: The bulk of the human genome is noncoding regions, some of which play an important role in how genes are expressed. New tools are allowing scientists to test exactly how these elements — once called “junk DNA” — work, which could lead to new drug targets.
Driving the news: A team of 99 scientists completed the human genome sequence last week, filling in gaps in the draft sequence published 20 years ago using some new technologies.
They reported the human genome is 3.05 billion base pairs long and consists of 19,969 protein-coding genes, including more than 100 newly deciphered genes that can likely produce proteins.
Alison Snyder, Eileen Drage O’Reilly, “Diving into the genome’s uncharted territories” at Axios
And it all just sort of fell together, right?