Nature's way of protecting the code

Intron -

A segment of a gene situated between exons that is removed before translation of messenger RNA and does not function in coding for protein synthesis. With Intron, when there's a mutation, there's a high probability that the one which subjected to the mutation is intron and not exon (which is the fubctional sequence). This way, eukaryote cells might survive from genetic mutation.

Telomere -

 Telomeres protect a cell's chromosomes from fusing with each other or rearranging (abnormalities that can lead to cancer) and so cells are destroyed when their telomeres are consumed. Most cancers are the result of "immortal" cells that have ways of evading this programmed destruction.

The Double Helix Structure -
The double helix structure offers some protection against mutations, and allows mRNA to copy information off both strands simultaneously, increasing the efficiency of the event

The G-cap and Poly A Tail -

 The G - cap helps protect mRNA from degradation by hydrolytic enzymes and after mRNA reaches the cytoplasm, the G cap functions as part of an "attach here" sign for ribosomes. The poly-A-tail inhibits degradation of RNA and helps ribosomes attach and facilitates export of mRNA from the nucleus. Also, the G- cap and Poly A tail reduce the chances of mutation.

 

The Wobble Effect -

 If the third nitrogen base in the codon is changed, it will not change the amino acid. This is called the wobble effect. If the point mutation occurs in the third nitrogen base in a codon, then it causes no effect on the amino acid and the mutation does not change the organism.

 

The History Of Genetics

2002

   



- Humans and mice have about 200 genomic blocks that contain the same genes but are arranged on different chromosomes.
- In December 2002, the international Mouse Genome Sequencing Consortium completed a draft of the mouse genome and compared it to the human genome. Both species have about 30,000 genes, the researchers reported in Nature.

2004  

  

- A group of scientists, led by Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas,  formed the Rat Genome Sequencing Project Consortium.
- In March 2004, they unveiled a “high-quality draft” of the rat genome, reporting in Nature that rats have many of the genes known to cause disease in humans.


2011

- After the death of Bin Laden, the US goverment decided not to release photos of the dead bin Laden, but base one the DNA evidence, US officials are 99.9% certain that the man they shot and killed in a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, was the long-sought al Qaeda leader.