In contrast to earlier estimates that suggested as much as 80 % of our deoxyribonucleic acid has some role , University of Oxfordscientists have found that a bare 8.2 % of the human genome is presently functional .

Our deoxyribonucleic acid is made up of3.2 billion base pairs- the chemical substance building pulley block found in chromosome that are strung together to work our genome . It ’s a pretty impressive identification number , but how much of this DNA is functional ? That has been a subject of heavy stake recently give revelation about the Brobdingnagian amount of “ detritus ” DNA , or DNA that does not encode protein , that seems to be present . In fact , almost99%of the human genome does not encode protein .

Back in 2012 , scientists from the ENCODE ( cyclopedia of DNA Elements ) task claim that80%of our DNA has some biochemical function . However , many scientist were not quenched with this assertion yield that the word “ map ” is hazy and too broad . In fussy , DNA bodily process does not necessarily have a operable consequence . investigator therefore needed to shew that the action is significant .

To do this , Oxford investigator looked at which part of our genome have forefend accumulating mutations over the last130 millionyears . This is because slow pace of genomic evolution are an denotation that a successiveness is important , i.e. it has a certain function that needs to be retained . In especial , they were face for insertions or omission of desoxyribonucleic acid sequences within various dissimilar mammalian species , from humans and Equus caballus to guinea pigs and dogs . While this can pass every which way throughout the sequence , the investigator would not carry this to happen to such an extent in reach that natural selection is act to preserve .

The investigator found that 8.2 % of our desoxyribonucleic acid is presently functional ; the rest isleftover materialthat has been subject to large losses or profit over clock time . However , they also note that not all of this 8.2 % is equally of import . As mentioned , only 1 % of our DNA encodes the proteins that make up our bodies and act decisive roles in biologic processes .

It ’s believed that the remaining 7 % playsregulatory roles , switching gene on and off in reply to environmental factors .

“ The proteins make are virtually the same in every cell in our body when we are born to when we die , ” lead author Chris Rands say in anews - release . “ Which of them are switched on , where in the torso and at what point in time , needs to be ascertain — and it is the 7 % that is doing this chore . ”

Another interesting determination was that while the protein - coding genes were well conserve across the different mammalian mintage look into , the regulative region experienced a high turnover rate , with piece of DNA being added and lost frequently over fourth dimension . While this active evolution was unexpected , the majority of alteration in the genome occurred within the so - visit “ detritus ” desoxyribonucleic acid .

Intriguingly , it was discovered that only 2.2 % of our genome is functional and shared with mice . But according to the researchers , that does n’t necessarily mean we are that different and it ’s difficult to tell what explains our differences as species .

“ We are not so special . Our rudimentary biology is very interchangeable , ” said co - authorChris Ponting . “ Every mammal has approximately the same amount of functional DNA , and approximately the same dispersion of functional DNA that is extremely important and less of import . "

[ ViaPLOS GENETICSandUniversity of Oxford ]

[ Header image , " DNA Rendering , " by ynse , via Flickr , used in accordance with   CC BY - SA 2.0 .