The ENCODE paper and related commentaries in Nature (June 14):
- Identification and analysis of functional elements in 1% of the human genome by the ENCODE pilot project by The ENCODE Project Consortium, Nature 447: 799-816.
- Encyclopaedia of humble DNA by John M. Greally, Nature 447: 782-783.
- Genome project turns up evolutionary surprises by Erika Check, Nature 447: 760-761.
List of stories about the ENCODE study:
- The 1 Percent Genome Solution (Scientific American)
- Findings Challenge Basic Views on Human Genome (Science Blog)
- Encyclopedia Of DNA: New Findings Challenge Established Views On Human Genome (ScienceDaily)
- ‘Junk’ DNA makes compulsive reading (New Scientist)
- ENCODE finds the human genome to be an active place (Nobel Intent)
- ENCODE Project challenges conventional view of genome biology (Scientific Blogging)
- Human genome further unravelled (BBC)
- Scientists peek into DNA’s nooks (Washington Post)
- Study shines new light on genome (The Guardian) — easily the most nonsensical report I have seen in a while.
- Time to rethink the gene? (Scientific Blogging)
- Our Genomes, ENCODE, and Intelligent Design (Scientific Blogging)
- What did ENCODE decode? (Omnome)
I think the project is very interesting and important, but as I have said before, one study by itself is rarely revolutionary. ENCODE is adding evidence in favour of a revised understanding of genome function. It, along with many other studies, may require us to re-think a few concepts like “regulatory sequences” or “gene”, but this one paper alone is not engaged in battle against some stubborn establishment that steadfastly refuses to consider new possibilities.