Junk DNA

[1123581321]

hi,

Was wondering, in the realm of psychic phenomenon and other associated paranormal activities of the mind, How likely it is that junk DNA is really responsible producing and allowing such brain power, if it is, what could be responsible for its awakening and wether there are/have been any cases of psychics in the world having active junk DNA ?

 

p.s. i know this may seem completely science fiction, but im really interested...

[insane_alien]

seeing as psychic or paranormal phenomenon have nevver been proven to exist, zero percent.

[1123581321]

but, 'absence of evidence does not correlate evidence of absence', so how can you say, 0 %

[insane_alien]

well, if it is non-zero then it's pretty damn near zero.

 

also, there is no possible mechanism for any of them to work. there are physical limits that suggest that it is impossible which further reduces the chances.

[Greippi]

Really scratching the surface here, because "junk" DNA is such a massive field, but I'll attempt to give a basic answer:

 

Junk DNA is a bit of a misnomer these days. Much of the non-coding DNA has a function - including control of transcription and translation of coding genes, as well as spacing. A brief scan of even the Wikipedia article on the subject will give many more functions. The majority rest of the DNA whose function is as yet unknown is not highly conserved - suggesting that it is not part of a major pathway (such as psychic phenomena).

 

For DNA to have a function, it must interact with other molecules. From the sequence of DNA is transcribed RNA which can then go on to be translated in to proteins, or remain as RNA with another specific function. If there was DNA that was used for psychic purposes, it would need to encode some other series of molecules - which surely would have been detected by now due to the sheer amount of study that has been done on the genome/contents of the cell.

"Normal" coding DNA encodes proteins, you would have thought that a rogue protein being produced that was not linked to any of the metabolic pathways would have been a cause for much interest. A whole network of proteins that hasn't been discovered yet that is used for psychic phenomena is pretty unlikely don't you think?

[pioneer]

Junk DNA is a bit of a misnomer these days. Much of the non-coding DNA has a function - including control of transcription and translation of coding genes, as well as spacing.

 

If I could play the devil's advocate; the above sounds like psychic function. This aspect of the DNA silently performs tasks, but does not leave a tangible paper (protein) trail. The ghost makes the lamp blink, but leaves no trace that it was there. I am not saying this is the case, but I was logically inferring what it would need to be, if such was the case.

 

This ghost in the DNA machine, within the junk genes, may have a logical explanation. I tend to think it is connected to the configurational potential within the DNA double helix and the associated the double helix of water that forms with a particular base sequence.

 

 

 

The ghost effect works through information transfer through the water.

 

 

Hydrogen bonding carries information about solutes and surfaces over significant distances in liquid water. The effect is synergistic, directive and extensive. Thus, in the diagram opposite, strong hydrogen-bonding in molecule (1), caused by solutes or surfaces, will be transmitted to molecules 2 and 3, then to 5 and 6 and then as combined power to 8.

 

The effect is reinforced by additional polarization effects and the resonant intermolecular transfer of O-H vibrational energy, mediated by dipole-dipole interactions and the hydrogen bonds [142]. Reorientation of one molecule induces corresponding motions in the neighbors.

 

Thus solute molecules can 'sense' (for example, effect each others solubility) each other at distances of several nanometers and surfaces may have effects extending to tens of nanometers. This long range correlation of molecular orientation has recently been confirmed using hyper-Rayleigh light scattering [152] and is a reason for the high dielectric constant of water and the consequential reduction in this dielectric constant as the temperature is raised and the number of hydrogen bonds is reduced [239].

Edited April 18, 2010 by pioneer

[Greippi]

If I could play the devil's advocate; the above sounds like psychic function.

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Well, it involves protein interactions.

[Mr Skeptic]

Was wondering, in the realm of psychic phenomenon and other associated paranormal activities of the mind, How likely it is that junk DNA is really responsible producing and allowing such brain power, if it is, what could be responsible for its awakening and wether there are/have been any cases of psychics in the world having active junk DNA ?

 

p.s. i know this may seem completely science fiction, but im really interested...

 

About as likely as the TV series Sanctuary being factually accurate. (check it out, you'll enjoy it).

[CharonY]

If I could play the devil's advocate; the above sounds like psychic function. This aspect of the DNA silently performs tasks, but does not leave a tangible paper (protein) trail.

They affect DNA bending and accessibility, they are targets for proteins, they may encode RNAs with various (usually regulatory) funcitons and so on. Looks pretty tangible to me.

[cscwaters]

my personal view on psychic and paranormal phenomenon is that it is caused by iratic electrical impulses in the relevant section of the brain so if ur seeing things then i would think that theres is just odd nural activity in the occipital lobe possably caused by stress ect...

Edited May 1, 2010 by cscwaters

[cscwaters]

but i suppose that applies to the developed, brain if youre talking about junk DNA affecting the brain development and hence fourth affecting the function of the brain in later life, that could be viewed of a kind of teratogenesis