Rnomics - The Role of Introns and Other Noncoding RNAs in the Evolution and Development of Complex Organisms

大约98%的人类基因组转录输出是非编码RNA。该项目的目的是(a)提供直接证据，证明内含子包含功能信息，是基于RNA的调控网络的一部分；(b)鉴定大量新的非编码RNA，并证实非编码RNA基因在真核生物基因组中很常见的结论；(c)提供支持性证据，证明高等真核生物已经进化出基于RNA的第二层基因表达。该项目有能力改变我们对高等生物遗传编程的理解，具有相当大的科学和实际意义。

Approximately 98% of the transcriptional output of the human genome is noncoding RNA. The aims of the project are to (a) provide direct evidence that introns contain functional information and are part of an RNA-based regulatory network, (b) identify large numbers of new noncoding RNAs and substantiate the conclusion that noncoding RNAs genes are common in eukaryotic genomes, and (c) provide supporting evidence that the higher eukaryotes have evolved a second tier of gene expression based on RNA. The project has the capacity to transform our understanding of genetic programming in the higher organisms, with considerable scientific and practical implications.