Junk DNA might be really, really useful for biocomputing

[Jagace]

Last but not least: the "junk" term is quite misleading as the DNA in these sequences can be quite relevant for the cell life and was already disregarded since I graduated a few years ago. Pretty a shame reading it in a 2020 article

It is true that non-coding DNA and non-functional DNA are not synonymous, but there are portions of our genome (and large ones at that) which lack any physiological function. Most of our genome, like more than half, is ultimately of viral origin. Their sequences are tremendously repetitive, and often mutated to the point that they can't even self-replicate anymore.

That "junk DNA" doesn't exist is simply a myth and inconsistent with the current scientific evidence. An important piece of evidence is the C-value paradox: there is little correlation between genome size and organismal complexity. If you assume that all DNA is functional, then you've got to explain why a human needs 3.2 Gbp, a Vizcacha rat 8 Gbp, a bird 1 Gbp, an oak 0.5 Gbp and a species of pine 120 Gbp. Moreover, we find species that are extremely closely related and physiologically identical, such as a pair of pufferfish species, that differ tremendously in genome size.

Lore-wise, I can imagine nearbaselines and superiors simplifying their genomes, getting rid of the junky portions or repurposing them for some kind of biocomputing. For example, I could see them re-engineering chromosome 21 to fuse it with other chrosomes. The issue is that chrosome 21 is gene-poor ("junky"), so it can be duplicated to lead to viable embryo, albeit not a healthy one, causing Down's syndrome. Other chromosomes, for the most part, cause embryo death at trisomies. I could also see them doing the same to chromosomes 13 and 18, which cause truly horrific conditions at trisomies (I suggest you don't look them up  ).