PSEUDOGENESWhat are they, where do they come from and what can we learn from them? |
Creation vs. Evolution:
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Welcome to the Home Page of PBL Project for JLM349S. Tutorial Group T0701C
One of the main fields in genetic research is figuring out the functionality of a specific section of DNA, its importance and influence on other parts of the genome, and in broader aspects what role, if any, it could play in different types of diseases. Throughout the history of genetic research, presentations of novel theories have not only opened new horizons for future investigation and research, but also, in many cases, have invalidated some previously well-established theories. Pseudogenes are good examples of such controversial research subjects. For a long time they were considered to be DNA sequences that resembled functional genes but seemed to have no purpose (Gibson, 1994), but as the function of more pseudogenes is being uncovered by testable and repeatable science, it is evident that these genetic elements, which are spread in the genomes of different organisms, may have a purpose. The Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase pseudogene or PADPRP has been mapped and analyzed by different groups of scientists with rising hopes that it might be a cancer susceptibility marker.
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T0701C - JLM349S
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