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DOGMA BUST. "One gene can encode more than one protein (even up to 1,000). The human genome contains about 21,000 protein-encoding genes, but the total number of proteins in human cells is estimated to be between 250,000 to one million." No more one gene, one protein. https://lnkd.in/eaJ6nXS View in LinkedIn

SOME FUNCTIONALITY. "Over the years, researchers have found evidence to suggest that junk DNA may provide some form of functional activity. Some lines of evidence suggest that fragments of what were originally non-functional DNA have undergone the process of exaptation throughout evolution. Exaptation refers to the acquisition of a function through means other than natural selection." https://lnkd.in/eZHPYqA View in LinkedIn

PROFOUND EFFECT. "It appears that as a whole these sequences, once regarded as “junk DNA,” have had a profound effect in shaping our genome." Hardly junk. https://lnkd.in/eW3mbzE View in LinkedIn

JUNK HAS USES. "Probably for the very reason that nearly every household has a junk drawer: weak purifying selection (read, lack of motivation to clean up), combined with the hunch that “this stuff might come in handy someday.” https://lnkd.in/e6q2jTP View in LinkedIn

WHY KEEP JUNK? "Considering that the human body carries out ~10,000 billion cell divisions in a lifetime, the replication and maintenance of this viral junk heap requires a considerable amount of energy and resources. So why do we keep it around?" http://schaechter.asmblog.org/schaechter/2014/06/retroviruses-the-placenta-and-the-genomic-junk-drawer.html View in LinkedIn

SO ENDS this bird's eye view of our protein-constructed world. From simple building blocks to almost endless complexity. Enough of a Lego set to build a cellular world with huge variety, flexibility, and options to evolve. Proteins are the fundamental building backbone of life on earth, in all their dazzling variety and beauty. View in LinkedIn

META-GROUPS. "Proteins can also work together to achieve a particular function, and they often associate to form stable complexes." https://en.m.wikibooks.org/wiki/Principles_of_Biochemistry/Amino_acids_and_proteins View in LinkedIn

COFACTORS. "Shortly after or even during synthesis, the residues in a protein are often chemically modified by post-translational modification, which alters the physical and chemical properties, folding, stability, activity, and ultimately, the function of the proteins. Sometimes proteins have non-peptide groups attached, which can be called prosthetic groups or cofactors." https://lnkd.in/eeMC3wc View in LinkedIn

POST-TRANSLATIONAL MODIFICATIONS. "The human body contains roughly 20,000 genes that are capable of producing proteins. Each gene can produce multiple forms of a protein, and these in turn can be decorated with several post-translational modifications: they can have phosphate or methyl groups attached, or be joined to lipids or carbohydrates, all of which affect their function." http://sandwalk.blogspot.com.es/2015/12/how-many-different-proteins-are-made-in.html View in LinkedIn

ESTIMATE. "The number of potential molecules you can make from one gene is huge...It's very hard to estimate, but I wouldn't be surprised to have in one cell type 100,000 or more different proteins.” https://lnkd.in/e7av6ik View in LinkedIn