Selection in murid noncoding DNA

In the November issue of PLoS Genetics Gaffney & Keightley present results from their in silico examination of the rat and mouse genomes. They find selection to be acting three times more (in absolute number of sites) in noncoding than in coding sites. Most of these constrained noncoding sites are found more than 5kb away from known protein-coding genes. Intron sites believed to be functionally important are observed to be more concentrated near the 5'-end of genes, providing more evidence for a role of such intron parts in gene regulation. Intergenic regions appear to be harboring twice the number of deleterious mutations found in genes.

Gaffney DJ, Keightley PD. (2006) Genomic selective constraints in murid noncoding DNA. PLoS Genetics 2(11):e204.