Clues to function in gene deserts.
Recent work by Ivan Ovcharenko and colleagues has shed new light on the functional importance of gene deserts. They demonstrate that sequence conservation levels separate gene deserts into stable (more conserved) and variable classes. Both classes exhibit characteristics suggestive of function. The stable deserts in particular show features suggesting a role in the complex regulation of core vertebrate genes.
Taylor
James
J
Center for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA. james.bx.psu.edu
D021901:DNA, Intergenic / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D015894:Genome, Human; D006801:Humans; D016366:Open Reading Frames / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
D021901:DNA, Intergenic