‘Nonsense’ in our genes

(ScienceDaily): 1 in 200 of our human genes can be inactivated with no detectable effect on our health. A study by Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute scientists raises new questions about the effects of gene loss on our wellbeing and evolution. The study explores single letter changes in our genetic code that affect the ability of genes to produce proteins. The researchers’ findings suggest that such mutations, while sometimes harmful, generally have little consequence for the individual and may occasionally even be beneficial in evolutionary terms. Go to article