‘It is time to just get rid of it!’ claimed the woman. Anyone over hearing might think she was referring to some piece of junk that simply had to be thrown out. In reality, the discussion was about her uterus – a very crucial organ that should make a woman feel very very special. But we live in strange times. We want to have a baby, but not subject our bodies to the effect of actually creating life. No woman, I can say with complete confidence, ever celebrates having her period, unless of course it is proof of not being pregnant! We reconcile to enduring three days of ‘discomfort’ every month in order to enjoy the fruits of labor – no pun intended. But by the grand age of 45 or 50, long before it is time for retirement, many are happy to be rid of this bag at the slightest hint of trouble.

“I have three beautiful children and don’t intend having any more! Why not simply remove it doctor” cried the woman. Hysterectomy is becoming the second most common surgery among women after cesarian delivery. It is becoming a cause of grave concern that many more women are opting to get rid of their uterus even when it is not really recommended or necessary.

Science was in deep thought. Had he been correct in revealing so much about human anatomy to humans?

God:  On the contrary my dear Science, I think you need to educate them some more!

Science:  But I feel terrible Father! The idea of teaching mankind that surgery is possible, was only to help save them during circumstances that they could otherwise not endure.  Unfortunately, it is becoming more and more common for man to take the ‘easy route’. He is always only looking for quick fix solutions rather than understanding the cause.

God:  You really are disturbed I can see…

Science:  I am Father! Scientifically, it has been proven that removal of the uterus disturbs the blood supply to the ovaries. Only when there is fear of cancer, we need to take such drastic steps. If the health of the ovaries is normal, there is no need to remove the uterus for when ovarian circulation is affected, it leads to early menopause. We have evidence that ovaries continue to produce hormones that are beneficial to the woman even after menopause. There are other treatment options available for pain and heavy bleeding without needing to remove the uterus! But unfortunately they think ‘now that I no longer intend on having a child, let me get rid of it!’

God:  Hmmm… Is it only women and uterus?

Science:  Oh No! Other favourites to discard are the Appendix, Tonsils, Spleen and Gallbladder. They don’t even know what many of them do, and the gallbladder seems to be a simple pouch to store bile with no real necessity. The slightest hint of discomfort and they wish to throw it out.  Oh there are times when it is most definitely recommended – but many are not even ready to take the effort to understand if its essential!

God: As I said, my dear, don’t blame yourself for educating them. On the contrary, make them even more knowledgeable.

Science:  How would you suggest I do that Father?

God:  Do you remember the ‘Junk DNA’ coined by Susumu Ohno in 1972? Portions of the genome sequence for which no discernible function was identified was labelled ‘Junk DNA’ as they had little specificity and conveyed little or no selective advantage to the organism.

Science:  They are actually ‘non-coding DNA’ or DNA that has no protein.

God:  Right! But they did call them colloquially ‘Junk’. Humans thought these noncoding DNA had no role to play in the gene manifestation for they did not have any protein.

Science:  It can also be explained with the analogy of a magazine. The genes are like the articles that are the very purpose of any magazine. The non-coding DNA are the advertisements. Even if the advertisements were removed, they never alter the essence of the magazine. As these advertisements are not essential for understanding the content of the article, they can be labelled ‘junk’.

God:  (With a broad smile) Wonder if the advertisers in this very magazine would appreciate that! Even if the article has no need for the advertisement to completely make sense, the magazine itself relies on the advertisements to bring out its next issue! Same with DNA, my child. Today, you don’t see any direct manifestation and they seem like mindlessly repeated sequences. But give me a little more credit will you? I think I know my job…

Science:  Oh Father! Indeed today man knows differently! They no longer think junk DNA is ‘junk’. Man has found that many noncoding sequences have very important biological functions. Comparative genomics reveals that some regions of noncoding DNA are highly conserved, sometimes on time-scales representing hundreds of millions of years, implying that these noncoding regions are under strong evolutionary pressure and positive selection.

God:  Hmmm… You know, one man’s junk could be another man’s treasure !

Science:  Indeed Father! In fact the latest discovery has been most revealing. Scientists at UC San Francisco have today found that specific DNA once dismissed as junk, play an important role in brain development and might be involved in several devastating neurological diseases. You see, because the noncoding DNA did not carry the blueprints of protein, men thought they did not influence a cell’s fate or action. But evidence has now been found that these noncoding DNA tether structural proteins to the DNA containing chromosomes and indirectly affect gene activation and cellular physiology without altering genetic code.

God:  Nevertheless, opinion is still divided among the scientists, right?

Science: (with a small frown) Yes Father. When the human genome was sequenced in 2000, only 26,000 genes appeared to be directing the manufacture of proteins and growth control. 98% of our DNA was written off. But soon researchers claimed to have identified more than 10,000 new genes and suggested that up to 18% of our DNA is responsible for regulating other genes. They said about 80% of DNA had a biochemical function. However, this has been dismissed as “absurd” by others claiming that just because a piece of DNA has biological activity it does not mean it has an important function in a cell.

God:  That is a pity! My child can you tell me the physiological changes that happens when a woman becomes pregnant?

Science:  Oh there are far too many! After all we are creating a new life form here. The abdominal walls need to stretch, the uterus expands, the breasts increase in size and fullness – and these are just the visible ones. So much more happens on the biochemical level.

God:  But how about the uterus – does it actually develop only during pregnancy or is it something a female child is actually born with?

Science:  What a question father! You know it is not a later day development but something that is a part of every new born female child.

God:  So if I though it was redundant, I could easily have made it something that appears when needed and removed when no longer necessary, right? And yet I made every woman grow her own uterus right from within her own mother’s womb…

Science:  (whispering) That is not too difficult for those who believe in you Father. Creationists continue to state that God doesn’t make junk. But there are those who think that most of the human genome is devoid of function.

God:  My dear, it is one thing to donate a kidney to help someone survive or to remove an afflicted body part that could cause further harm, but quite another to call something I gave as ‘junk’. You say humans use only 10% of their brain. Will they be willing if I removed the rest 90% as ‘redundant’!

It was Science’s turn to smile.

God: And yet I keep giving each one of them a 100% brain hoping some day they will learn I don’t make junk – not as human parts or as even humans!

Written by Gita Krishna Raj  |  Published in infinithoughts in June 2013

When Science met God… |  Segment Four: The dance of a trillion cells

Chapter Ten: Junk DNA