Human RNA genes counted up
By John Travis
A new analysis concludes that 200 to 255 human genes, or nearly 1 percent of all human genes, encode short strands of ribonucleic acid instead of protein as their end product.
Scientists initially discovered several genes encoding these so-called microRNAs in worms and recently unearthed similar genes in people and other mammals (SN: 1/12/02, p. 24: Biological Dark Matter). The RNA strands made by these genes seem to regulate the activity of other genes, particularly ones involved in the embryonic development of animals.