About how much of your DNA and genes are actually used and important?

Question

An approximate percent if possible would be nice. Thank you so much, I really appreciate it!

Answer 1

I don't have a percentage number, but it is well under half. The remaining half, called introns, are leftovers from our evolutionary history.

Answer 2

Ignore Angryman. Vast swathes of DNA are currently thought to be just junk left over from failed mutations/genes we no longer use/etc. These introns MAY play a roll in supercoiling of DNA but that is still speculation.

As has already been said DNA can be split into 2 types. Exons - the bits that are used, or to be more biologically accurate in my language, the bits that or EXpressed. The other type are called INtrons - these are the bits that are INactive.

The introns are cut out of the RNA copy of DNA after transcription and before translation into protein as they serve no purpose.

In 1 gene there may be a number of introns within the gene so the gene might look like a sentence that reads like this:

Please ignore all of xxxxxxxxxx the xxxxxxx crosses.

The cell cuts out the garbage and just uses the good DNA. If you want to find out more, I suggest a degree in biology because I studied biology a LONG time ago!

Answer 3

Actually most of these answers are incorrect. We do not fully understand how genes are transcribed. Codes located before an after genes play a role in these, so seemingly useless pieces of DNA are actually critical. Furthermore, intron and exon sites can change depending on how an mRNA is spliced following transcription, so they are not black and white with one being useful and the other not.

Essentially, the answer to your question is no one knows for sure. We know not every base is needed, but there are probably more factors involved then what we realize.

Answer 4

It has been said by smarter people than I, that the possibilities of our genes and DNA is the same proportion, if you know football, that to go to the goalline on the other end of the field,humans are on the 1 1/2 foot line going clear to the other end, or in a percentage, about 1/2 of 1%(.5%).

Answer 5

The human genome is ~3 billion base pairs (b or bp) long, and contains ~20,000-25,000 genes. About 1.5% of the total genome codes for protein-coding exons. In Eukaryotic cells especially, genes have alternating exon and introns. The introns are spliced before the mRNA is translated into protein (the mRNA is transcribed from your DNA, which stays in the nucleus), and are thought to be evolutionary byproducts. Other areas are regulatory regions (where enzymes/proteins can bind... the enzyme used for transcription/DNA replication is a polymerase, and some binding proteins block or enhance the polymerase). Other areas are markers for the mRNA (a "cap" and "tail"), or code for tRNA, rRNA or siRNA (which are used in the cell, but don't directly code for proteins).

Answer 6

Umm.. all of it. That's why it's there. Not very energy efficient to pass down useless info through generations. Also, make any significant modification & you're no longer human.

Certain genes may not be active. For example, your scalp doesn't really need to have an active gene for tooth production. But, it is still there. Your cells don't get to pick & choose their genetic make up. (At least not after conception.)

Answer 7

According to this site, less than 10 % of your DNA is actually genes. >90% of your DNA is "junk" DNA.

http://www.llnl.gov/str/September01/Christian.html

Answer 8

Angryman is wrong. Most of your DNA is NOT used and are simply junk DNA.