The genome generator: simulating the development of junk DNA

  • Authors:
  • Robert W. McGrail;S. Rebecca Thomas;Michael Tibbetts

  • Affiliations:
  • Division of Natural Sciences & Mathematics, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY;Division of Natural Sciences & Mathematics, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY;Division of Natural Sciences & Mathematics, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY

  • Venue:
  • Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges
  • Year:
  • 2003

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Abstract

The authors extend the work of Loomis and Gilpin, as reported in [12], to further explore the effects of arbitrary insertions, deletions, and reversals on the development of vestigial sequences, otherwise known as "junk DNA," within genomes. In addition to its utility as a research aid, the Genome Generator has proven to be a valuable pedagogical aid for undergraduate courses in biology, bioinformatics, and computer science. Indeed, the fundamental ideas behind this tool are so simple that we have used it successfully in short workshops for visiting high schoolstudents. The authors believe that others will also find the Genome Generator to be a useful teaching tool.