Intergenic region
Encyclopedia
An Intergenic region is a stretch of DNA
sequences located between clusters
of gene
s that contain few or no genes. Occasionally some intergenic DNA acts to control genes nearby, but most of it has no currently known function. It is one of the DNA sequence
s collectively referred to as junk DNA, though it is only one phenomenon labeled such and in scientific studies today, the term is less used. In humans, intergenic regions comprise a large percentage of the genome
.
This could also be where noncoding RNAs are located. Though little is known about them, they are thought to have regulatory functions.
Intergenic regions are different from intragenic regions (or introns), which are short, non-coding regions that are found within genes, especially within the genes of eukaryotic organisms.
Scientists have now artificially synthesized proteins from intergenic regions.
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
sequences located between clusters
Gene cluster
A gene cluster is a set of two or more genes that serve to encode for the same or similar products. Because populations from a common ancestor tend to possess the same varieties of gene clusters, they are useful for tracing back recent evolutionary history...
of gene
Gene
A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...
s that contain few or no genes. Occasionally some intergenic DNA acts to control genes nearby, but most of it has no currently known function. It is one of the DNA sequence
DNA sequence
The sequence or primary structure of a nucleic acid is the composition of atoms that make up the nucleic acid and the chemical bonds that bond those atoms. Because nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are unbranched polymers, this specification is equivalent to specifying the sequence of...
s collectively referred to as junk DNA, though it is only one phenomenon labeled such and in scientific studies today, the term is less used. In humans, intergenic regions comprise a large percentage of the genome
Genome
In modern molecular biology and genetics, the genome is the entirety of an organism's hereditary information. It is encoded either in DNA or, for many types of virus, in RNA. The genome includes both the genes and the non-coding sequences of the DNA/RNA....
.
This could also be where noncoding RNAs are located. Though little is known about them, they are thought to have regulatory functions.
Intergenic regions are different from intragenic regions (or introns), which are short, non-coding regions that are found within genes, especially within the genes of eukaryotic organisms.
Scientists have now artificially synthesized proteins from intergenic regions.