‘Junk dna’ mutations linked to cancer
By far the greater part of our DNA doesn’t carry instructions to make specific proteins. This is known as the non-coding portion of the genome. It has long been regarded as ‘junk DNA’—supposedly a useless leftover from our evolutionary past.
The idea that most of our DNA is useless is a prediction of evolutionary theory, which needs lots of junk DNA. However, this has been shown to be false. Further research has revealed more and more functions of non-coding DNA. These include major roles in regulating genes (see creation.com/junk-roles).
Recent research has now discovered that almost 300 mutations (errors) in non-coding DNA are linked to increased risks of cancer. (If non-coding DNA had no function, errors should have no impact.) Hopefully, continuing research into this will give more information on how various cancers develop and how we might prevent them.
The research is still in its infancy, as it is an open secret that evolutionary ideas attached to non-coding DNA historically led to neglect in studying it. It seems a clear case of evolutionism hampering scientific and medical progress.
- Colatriano, J., Researchers link mutations in long neglected non-coding genome to cancer, biospace.com, 14 Jun 2022.
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