Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

How much non-coding DNA do eukaryotes require?

Sebastian E Ahnert1, Thomas M A Fink, Andrei Zinovyev

  • 1Institut Curie, Bioinformatics, 26 rue d'Ulm, Paris 75248, France. sea31@cam.ac.uk

Journal of Theoretical Biology
|April 4, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Multilayer network approaches to omics data integration in digital twins for cancer research.

Frontiers in systems biology·2026
Same author

Detection of protein symmetry and structural rearrangements using secondary structure elements.

Protein science : a publication of the Protein Society·2026
Same author

An entropic measure of diverse specialization highlights multifunctional neurons in annotated connectomes.

Network neuroscience (Cambridge, Mass.)·2026
Same author

A comprehensive UK crop yield dataset incorporating satellite, weather, and soil type information.

Scientific data·2026
Same author

Data driven network inference and longitudinal transcriptomics unveil dynamic regulation in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia models.

NPJ systems biology and applications·2026
Same author

Elastic parametric response mapping: quantitative CT scoring for local COPD severity.

Thorax·2026
Same journal

The male-biased sex ratio in humans and its role in the transition from promiscuity to pair bonding.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026
Same journal

Quantifying the counter-intuitive effects of vaccination by coupling the transmission dynamics of COVID-19 and the evolution of human behaviors.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026
Same journal

An integrative model of FGF2-induced signaling and muscle cell proliferation.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026
Same journal

A hybrid reaction-diffusion and mechanical stimulus model for mandibular bone remodeling under chewing and vibratory loading.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026
Same journal

Integrated tick management strategies in fragmented peridomestic environments.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026
Same journal

Joint likelihood-free inference of the number of selected single nucleotide polymorphisms and their selection coefficients in an evolving population.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026
See all related articles

Eukaryotes need a minimum amount of non-coding DNA (ncDNA), which increases with exonic DNA. This finding explains the essential role of ncDNA in eukaryotic life.

Area of Science:

  • Genomics
  • Molecular Biology
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • The function and quantity of non-coding DNA (ncDNA) in higher organisms remain largely unknown despite genomic advances.
  • Understanding the non-coding genome is crucial for comprehending eukaryotic biology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the requirement of non-coding DNA (ncDNA) across eukaryotic genomes.
  • To develop a model predicting the necessary amount of ncDNA based on exonic DNA content.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 37 fully sequenced eukaryotic genomes.
  • Development of a theoretical model for regulatory network growth to predict ncDNA quantity.
  • Comparison of theoretical predictions with observed ncDNA amounts.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Eukaryotes require a minimum amount of ncDNA, increasing quadratically with exonic DNA.
  • A derived formula, N(DEF)=1/2 (N(C)/N(P)) (N(C)-N(P)), accurately predicts the required ncDNA.
  • This predicted ncDNA constitutes a few percent in mammals and up to half the genome in simpler eukaryotes.

Conclusions:

  • Eukaryotic life fundamentally depends on a substantial proportion of non-coding DNA.
  • The study provides a predictive framework for the size of essential ncDNA fractions across eukaryotes.