Biological function in the twilight zone of sequence conservation.
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ABSTRACT: Strong DNA conservation among divergent species is an indicator of enduring functionality. With weaker sequence conservation we enter a vast 'twilight zone' in which sequence subject to transient or lower constraint cannot be distinguished easily from neutrally evolving, non-functional sequence. Twilight zone functional sequence is illuminated instead by principles of selective constraint and positive selection using genomic data acquired from within a species' population. Application of these principles reveals that despite being biochemically active, most twilight zone sequence is not functional.
SUBMITTER: Ponting CP
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5558704 | biostudies-other | 2017 Aug
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other
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