'Junk DNA' can sense viral infection
Tuesday, April 24, 2012 - 18:20
in Biology & Nature
Once considered unimportant "junk DNA," scientists have learned that non-coding RNA (ncRNA) — RNA molecules that do not translate into proteins — play a crucial role in cellular function. Mutations in ncRNA are associated with a number of conditions, such as cancer, autism, and Alzheimer's disease.