When I was about ten years old I went to see the movie Jurassic Park. I loved it! Cloning dinosaurs?! Awesome!!
In hindsight, I guess I was kind of a geek. I thought it was just so cool that they had computer screens full of ‘T’s, ‘A’s, ‘C’s, and ‘G’s. Their “scientists” could just scroll through the genetic code and use it for whatever they wanted. Pretty sweet.
I was thinking about this today as I was looking up sequences on the internet and copying large numbers of ‘T’s, ‘A’s, ‘C’s, and ‘G’s on my computer screen. And in the spirit of geeky genetics fun, here’s a contest.
Name the gene that the following sequence encodes. (Post your answer in the comments. Hint at the end.)
5′- ATGCTGCTGCTGGCGAGATGTCTGCTGCTAGTCCTCGTCTCCTCGCTGCT
GGTATGCTCGGGACTGGCGTGCGGACCGGGCAGGGGGTTCGGGAAGAGGA
GGCACCCCAAAAAGCTGACCCCTTTAGCCTACAAGCAGTTTATCCCCAAT
GTGGCCGAGAAGACCCTAGGCGCCAGCGGAAGGTATGAAGGGAAGATCTC
CAGAAACTCCGAGCGATTTAAGGAACTCACCCCCAATTACAACCCCGACA
TCATATTTAAGGATGAAGAAAACACCGGAGCGGACAGGCTGATGACTCAG
GTAGGAACCCAGCGCCGGGGCGTGGAATGTGTGGCTTTCCAGGGGGTTAC
GAGAAGCCGAACACTTCCAGACTTAACTCTGTTTGCTCTTCGGGCAGATA
GGAAGGTGATTTCACCCGCTCCTTCCCCACCCACCTGCCCGCCCCCCATC
TCTTCCTCTTCCTGGAGGAGAATGGAGGTCAAGGGTCCAGCTGGAGAAGT
TTAGGGTGTGGTGGGGGTGAGGACGGTAACAGACGTGGTTCATTATGGCC
CTGATTTGATGAGTCTTGCTACAATGGCCTTCCCCATCCTACCTCTGCCC
TGGCTTGTAACTTGGGGAGACCTTCACTTTGGGGGCGTCGGCCCTTTCCA
AGTCAGGAGTGGAAATGGAAGGAGAGGCTGGGAATCCCCCTCCCACAAAC
ATGAAGTGGTCTCCTGGTACTGTACGAACGAACGAACGTAGCCTTGGGCA
TTGGAGCTCAGAGCCCCCACGTTTCCCGTTGCCTCTGTGGTTTTCTTTCC
CACCACTACCCCCACCCTGCACCTCCCCACCAAAGAATTCTCAACTGGAA
AAGCCAGGAGGCGGTTCTGACAAAAGGCAGGGGCTCCAGGGGAGACTCCG
CCCGTCCCTGGGTGGCTGGCTGTATCGCAGAGCTGGCTTTGCGATTGCGT
GTCCGCAATTGTGCCCATCAGAGTGTGAATGTATTGATATTTCTTTAAGG
ATGCTCTTTCGTTCTTCCAAGCCCGAGGTACCTTAGGGGAGGGACTTAGA
ACTTATTGGCATTGCATCACTTTAGTTTTCAACCTGCTTGCATAAGAATT
AAGAGCGAATAAATATTAGTGTGGGGGGAGGGGAAGCTAAGCAAAATATG
AATTCCTCTCTCTCTCCCCACCTCCTTTGAGATTTCTGAGCTGCCAATCT
CCCAGCCAATTCTAGACTTTCTGAAACTCCATGCACGTATAACTGAAGCC
AGAAATGGGTTTCCTTGCAAATATAGGTCAACATCCTTTTTATTGCCCTA
TTAAAATATTCAAGTCCTACCTTTAGGGCTAGGTGCGTACAGCGGCTGAT
GGAGTGGCGCTGGTGGGGCGCAAGTGCAGGGGGAGGGTACTGACGGCAGA
GAGAGAGGAGCTACCTCCGTGCCGCCCTGCTTCCCGACCCGATTCCCAGG
CTTGCTTGAGGCCGAGAAAGGCGAGGGGCAGGCAAGGTAGCCTGCTCCAG
CTGTCGGAAGGGAGAGGAATGGGAAATGGTCCTGATTTCCTTGCTCTCCC
TCATCTGCTCCCGACCACCTTAAATCTGGACCGCGAGTGTGGACGCGCGC
GCCAGTGCCAGACAGCAGCGCGATCCACAATTAACTCTGCACGGGCCATG
GGGTGCCCGTTGCGTGCAGCTGGCTGGAGGGAGTTCTCCGGCTAGCCCGA
GGCGCCCATCCTCTCGTCACCCTCACTCCCCGCGGAGGAGGGGCCTTGCC
AGGGTCCCTCGGAACCCGAGAGGAGGGAGGCACTGCGGAGAGAGCGGCGG
GGGCGTGGATACCCGAGGTCCCAGAGCCAGAGTGGGTCAGCTTCTGCCCT
GCTCTGCGGGAGGCCAATACCGCAGAAGGGGTCCTGGGCTCGCACACCTT
CCCAGGGCTTGGGCCTTGCAGCCCTGCTGCAAAGCTGCAAGCGCACAGAG
CCGCGCAGCGAGGCAGACGCCTGCAGCCCCACTTACTCCCGGGTTATCGA
TCCCCCGCGGCTAGGGTTTCAGTGCGCGAGGGGCTGGGCTGGAGCCGCCG
GGCTCTGCTGCTCCACGCGCGGGAGCGCAGGCACCGCAGGAGCTAACAGC
AGCGCCGGGCTCGCTGTAGTGTCCCCGGCGGCGGGGGCGCGGAGATGGGG
GCGCCCGCGCAGGGGCCGGGGCGCATCGCGGGCTCCGCCGGCCTGCCCTG
GGACGCGCCCCCATCCCCAGTCCGCCGCCTGCCTGGCCTCTAGGCCTCCG
CGTCCCAGCCGGAGCCCCCAGCCCGGGGGCCTCCCCCCGACCCCCGTCCG
CCCTGCCGGGGGACGCAGGGCCCAGCGGCCCCGCGCCCGGCCACTCTCGC
CGCCGCGCGCACAGGCAGCATTTGAACTTCTGACCTTCTGTCAACTTCCC
TCAGACGAACGAAACGAAAACAAATACTTTTTTCCTTGGGCAGTGGCTAT
TCCCGTTCCCAACACAAAAGGAGGGGGAAGGACGGCCCAAGTGGGGGTTG
GGTGAGGAGAGCCAGGCCGGGATTATCAGGCAGACCCCACAAAGGTCCCC
TAAAACCGAGGGGGGTAGGGGCTGGCAGTCTGTGAGGTATCCCCGGTTGA
TCCCTCCCCTACCTTCCTTCTCCCGATTCCAGGAGTTAAGGGTGGGGGAG
GAAGGGATGGGGAAGGCGGAGGCTCGGGTGCTGAGGGCAGGGGCGGGGTG
CAGGAGGCGGCAGGGGAGCCCCAGGCCGGCGGGAGGTTTGGGGAGCCTGC
TCGGCCGCCCTCATTTTAAATAACCACCTAGGCTCTGCCCCAGGTGCGTG
ACCCTCTTCTTCTGTCTCCCTCCCTGTCTCTGGGTCTCTAATGTGACTGC
CGCCCAAGTCCCTCAACCATGGCGAGATCGTCCCCAGTGGAACTTTCGGA
GCAGTTCCGGAACGCAGGAGCTGCCGGTTAATATTAACCCGGGAGAGGAA
AGCGCAGACAGACACGCTCTCCCCGCGCGGGCCTAGGTGCCAGGCGAGGG
TGCTGGCGGCCAGGGGGCTCCTAAGGGGCAGGAGGCCAGAGGGCCGGATC
TGAAGCCTGGAGTGGGGTCCCGAGCCGCTACACTAAATAGATTTAATGTG
CGCTCTGGGGCCGCCAGGAAAGACGCTCAGGTATGGGGTTGGGGAGGGGC
TGTTCCACCAAGCTTGGGGGAAAGGACAGTGGAGAGAGGTGCGTTTAGGG
GCTGGGGCTGTCTTGAAGCTGGGACGCCCCCGCCCCCGCGCTGGGGGAAG
CCCACCGGCTGCTGGCGGTGACACTCGCCGGCGCGGCTCGCAGATCAGGG
AGGTAGGCGGGAGCTCAGGCGTGGGGAACAACTTGGCCTCCGCCGACACA
AAGCCCGGCCCCGGCGGCCCTGCTGGGCTTCACGGTGGCTGCACAGAGTC
GGGCTTGATTCGCGGCACACGACCCAATGAATTAATAACCGGCCTGGGCT
TCCCGGCTTTGCCTGCGACAATCCCGCCCAGCGCGGGCGGAGGAGAGGCC
GCCAGCCGAGGCCGCGCGGAGCCCGGGCCGGAGGAGGGCGCAAGGGGCGG
GGGCGCCAACTCCAGCAACCCTCGGCCTCCGCCCCTCACTCGCGCAGCCA
CCTCCCGTCGCGGCCCGGCTGGACCCGGGTCTCCCTGCCCGGGGTCCTCC
ATGCCTGCCCAAGTGGCGCAGCTCACAGAGCTGGGGGCCAGGTCATCCTC
ACCCTGCCGCCCTCTCCCTGGCTGCCCTCCTGGGAAGCTGTTTAAAGCTT
CTTCGGCACAGCCCCAGGGGAGGGAGCTGCGGTGGGGTGGGGGGCTTGCA
TGGGGGTCCCTGTGCGTGTTGGTGGTGTGCGCCTGCGCGCAACGGGCCTC
ACATCATAGCTCTACACTGACCCTGGTTTACTGATTGATTTTCATGTAAA
ACGCGTTCAATCCTCAAGATGACCTCACTCAAACTCTGCCCTTCCGACTT
TTTTTTTTAACTGCTGGCAGGCCCACAAACATGCAGGCACTGACCTGTTA
CCAGGGCGGCCCCCAGCCCTACCCCACCCCCAGTTGTTGCATGTTGAACT
CTACAACCATATTACTGGGTTTTATTGCTGCCAGATACACAGGACTTTTC
CTGTTGCGCAATTTGTCACGTCCCCTTAAAGCGCCGCAGCAGTGGGGCCA
GCGTCCTCGCCCCACCCTCTCGAAAGAGTCCCCCCAACCCACGCTACAGT
TAGGGCCCTGGATAGAAGCTGTCCCTCCATGGCGACAACCAGACTCCAAG
CAGAGCATCCTTCCAGACTGGAGGAGGTTAGAGGTCAGCCCCGCCCTCTG
CAGAAGTCACCTTGAAATTGCCCCTCGGCCTCCACTTGGCGCAGCTTCTT
GGGGGATGCCACCATCGTCATCTGTGCCAGTTCCCCCTCTTTAAATCCCA
TGTCCCACCAGCAGCAGCAGGGTAAACATCCAGGAAGCAAGTCAGTGCCC
CCACAAACACACACAGTGGATTCAACTGCTTTCTGTCGCATCCTTATCTG
AGGGTGACCCCAGAATTCCAGGGGAACCCCCACAATCTGAATCCCAGGTA
ACCCCGTCTGCATCTGCCTAGTCAGTGTTTCCTGCCTCCTCCCAGGCAAC
TTCCTGGGAAACTCCCCAGGCGGAGGACTCCGAGACCTCAGGCCTTCCTG
TCTCCCCTCCCCCTCCTCTCAAACCCCTCCCCCTCCCTCCACCTCTTCAG
TTTGCTCTTCAAACTTGCTGGACGCCATTCTATGCTGGGGCCAAGAACAC
AAGAGCGGAGGAAGGGAACAGGTTAAAGAAAACAAGAAACACAATCAGAC
CACAGAAAAGCCAGGCAGAAAAGGGTTCGACGGGCAAAAAGAATGTGGCT
GTCCAGATAAAGAATGTCTGTCCCGGCCCCGGCCTGTGCTGCAAGTGGCA
ACTCACCTAGCCGCCTGCCACCCAGGCTCCCGCCCACCGCGCAGCCCCGC
CAGCGGCTTCTCGCCTCCCCTCTGCCTCGGATAGGGTTAGGGCCTGAGGT
AAATAAATGCAAGGCCTTCAATTCTCCAAGCAGTGCGCAGTGCATTTTTC
TTTATTTCTGGGAACTTGCGCCCAGGTCTCTGTCAGGCCTGCTGTGAGGG
ATTCTACGCGGGGAGAAGGTGGAGGCTGCGCAGGTGGAGAAAGGGGCCCC
AGAAGGGGGGCTAGAAGTGGAGGGCAACGTGGGGGCGGGGCGGGTATCCC
AGAGGGTGCCCCTGGAGGGTCCTGTAGTTGATGTCTTAAACATGCAGGTC
ACTTGTTTCAGAGAAACTTTATTTGCTTCTTAGGCCTCGCTAGGAGCATC
GGCTGTTTCAGGACCTGGAGAAAGGCCCCCAGCTCTACCCTGAGAGGACG
TGCTCCTCCACGCTCCTCCGCAAATGCTGTCCCTCTTCCCCAGCCCAGGG
CCCGGCTCTTCGGTGTGTCTGGGCCATTCCAACCCCCGTCTCCCCACCTC
TCCGCATGGCCCTCGCGCCTTGAGACTGGGCAGGGCAGGCTGATGGAGGG
GCCGGGAGGGGTGGCGGTTGCCCAGGCTAACGTGTCCGTCGGTGGGGGTC
CCCTTGTCTTCGCAGAGGTGTAAGGACAAGTTGAACGCTTTGGCCATCTC
GGTGATGAACCAGTGGCCAGGAGTGAAACTGCGGGTGACCGAGGGCTGGG
ACGAAGATGGCCACCACTCAGAGGAGTCTCTGCACTACGAGGGCCGCGCA
GTGGACATCACCACGTCTGACCGCGACCGCAGCAAGTACGGCATGCTGGC
CCGCCTGGCGGTGGAGGCCGGCTTCGACTGGGTGTACTACGAGTCCAAGG
CACATATCCACTGCTCGGTGAAAGCAGGTAAGCTGGCCCTGGCCCCCCGG
ATCCGACCCAAGGAAGGCCATTGGCGCACCTCGGCTTGATTCAAGAGAAA
AAGAAACCTGGGGGGAGGCTGAGGGCCAGGAGCAGGGTCGCTGGGCGATG
ACTGCGTTTCCGCGGTGGAACCTGCCCTGTGAGGTGCCGGCCCCTCGAAA
TCACCCCTACCTTTGAGGCCACAGAGCCCAAGGTTCTCCATGCCCCGAGA
TGGGGTCCTGTGGCTTCCTGCCCGCTTCTGGAGCCCCCACTGCAGGGGGT
GGGAAAGCGTGACTGGGGGAGGGGCGCTAGGCCCTTCCAGGCGAGGGAAG
ACAGCCCTGCGCGGTTAGCCAGGTCTGGGCGAGCTCCTTCCTCTCGTTTA
GGGCTTAAGAACCAACCGCCCCCACCCGCTATCCCAAGCGCAGGGGTGTC
TATCCTGCCCCGGAGCCCGCGTCCTGGCTCCTCCCCGCCGGGCGCCCGTG
GATCCTAAGCTGCCTTTGGGGAGAGGCCTGGTGGGCGGCAGTAAACCCAG
GGGCAACCACCTCCAGCATCTGGAGGCGGCGCGCCCGGAGCCTGCGTTCC
TACTGGGAGCCGGGCCGGGACGCCCTGGGCGGCGGGCAGGCCCCGAAACG
CCGGCCCGAGTCGGCGCGAGGCTGTCTTCTCTGGGCCTGCAACGCCACAC
GCTGTTGCCGGCGAGGAACAGCCGTGGAGGAGGCGCCATCGCGCGCACGC
AAACCTCCGGCCCGAGGCTGTGTGCACAGCGCTCTTCTCCGCCCGCATAA
ATTGGCACGTTTAGCAAAGCCGTTCACGGTGAATTTCGGGGAAACTCTGC
CTTCCTCAACCCCCTTCCAGGCTTCCCTACTTGTCTCCTAAATTCCATGT
TAATGGCACTATGTTAGTAGGAAAACACTGTTAAGGTGTCAAGGCACACT
TGTAGGTAAAGGCTAGAGTGGCTTCTCGTCCCCACAGAAAGCAAAGGCGT
GGAGCGGGGGCGGCAGGGGCGGGTGTGCGGCCCGGAGAGCTCCCGGCTGC
AGGCAGGCAGGAGGCGGCGCCCCCACCTCGCGGGCTCGGCGGCGGCCCCT
GGGCCCAGGGCGCCCCCTGCGCAAAACCTCCTCCCCGGCTCCCTGCCCGC
GGGGTCCCCCTAGCGGGGGTCTCCGGAGGCCTCCTCCCAAGTGAGCAGCG
CTAATCCATCCCCCGGATCGCGCCGGGAGAGCGGAGCCGCGGCGCGGGAG
CCGCTCATTGGCATTCTGAGCACACGGGCGGGGGCGCGGGGCGCAGCGTG
TCAAGCCGGGCCGTGCGACTCGACGACTCGGGCTCGCCAGCGCCCGGGGT
CGCATTCCGGGGGGCTACGGAGGGCCTCCAACGGCCAGCCCCGCACTTCA
TGCCAGAGAAACCGATGAGAAGATTAAAAGCCCCCTGTAATTCCAGCAGG
AAGATTCTTTCTGGCAATCTCTATTTGCAAAAAGCATGATCCCGGAGATT
GGAATGCAAAGAAGACGGCCCTCCCCGCCCTCCTCCCCGGCCCCCTGCGC
TCCGCCCCAACTTCAATTATTGTCCTGGGGACAGTGAGCCTCAGAGAGCG
ACAGAGGGCTCGAGAAAGCGGGTAGTCAAGGGGCCTTGAGACCCGGCGCT
TCCAGCGCTCCGAACAGGCCCCGCCATTTAAAATTCAAATACACATCTTG
AGTGCTTGGAAGAGAGGCCTGGCTGTGCAAATAGTGCTTGTGAATTGCAC
ACGGGGTGGGGGGGGGTTGCACCTGAGCAAATAGGGAGGGGGAGGCCCGC
GAGCTGGGGAGAGAGTGAGCTGAGAACAGGGAGGGGAGAAAATGGAAGTG
TCCCCTTCCAAGAGTGTCTCCTGTTTATCCCAGAAATCACAATGACAATG
CTGGGCCCTTTATTGGATTTTAATTAGAAAATCCACACAAGCCTCGGATT
TTCACACCTCGGCCAATCTCTGGAATGTTTGTCCAGTTGCTACAACTACT
GCAGCTATTTTTCACTCCCCGCCCCCGCCCCTCCGCAGGCCCACGCCGAG
GCGCGGCAGGGTGCTGCGGGCAGGCGGGCAGGCGGGCAGGCGGGCCAGGG
GTTTCCGCCGCGCAGCCCGGGTGCTGAGTGCGCGAGCAGGCGCCGCGCCC
CGCGCCGGGGCGGGAGGGAAGGAGGGTGCGCCCGGCGCCCGCGGGAGCTC
AAGGAGGCTTCCTGAGGAATCCAAGTGCAGAGCAAACACCCTCTGGATGG
ATTCGCGGCGAGGCCGGGTGTGTGCGGAGCTGGGGGTGGGGTTGGAGGAA
GGCGGAAGGAAAGAGTGTCACCGGCCTCTGCAGGAAACGCCAGCCAACCT
CTGTGACCGCCAGCCCAGACTTAGAGAGTCGTTAAGGAATGTGTCGGAAT
CCTGTCCCTGGGGCAGTGGGGTTGGGGGAGGGAGGTGTGTGCGGGACCCG
CCTGGAATCAATCGCCCCGCCCCGCGCCTTGCGCACCCCTGGCCTAGGAG
CGCGGGCACCAAGCGTGCGCCCTCCTCCCCGAGACGCGCCTCCCTCTCGG
AACTCAATGCCCTGTCCTCTCTTCTTTCCCTTCTCCTCACCCGCAGAGAA
CTCGGTGGCGGCCAAATCGGGAGGCTGCTTCCCGGGCTCGGCCACGGTGC
ACCTGGAGCAGGGCGGCACCAAGCTGGTGAAGGACCTGAGCCCCGGGGAC
CGCGTGCTGGCGGCGGACGACCAGGGCCGGCTGCTCTACAGCGACTTCCT
CACTTTCCTGGACCGCGACGACGGCGCCAAGAAGGTCTTCTACGTGATCG
AGACGCGGGAGCCGCGCGAGCGCCTGCTGCTCACCGCCGCGCACCTGCTC
TTTGTGGCGCCGCACAACGACTCGGCCACCGGGGAGCCCGAGGCGTCCTC
GGGCTCGGGGCCGCCTTCCGGGGGCGCACTGGGGCCTCGGGCGCTGTTCG
CCAGCCGCGTGCGCCCGGGCCAGCGCGTGTACGTGGTGGCCGAGCGTGAC
GGGGACCGCCGGCTCCTGCCCGCCGCTGTGCACAGCGTGACCCTAAGCGA
GGAGGCCGCGGGCGCCTACGCGCCGCTCACGGCCCAGGGCACCATTCTCA
TCAACCGGGTGCTGGCCTCGTGCTACGCGGTCATCGAGGAGCACAGCTGG
GCGCACCGGGCCTTCGCGCCCTTCCGCCTGGCGCACGCGCTCCTGGCTGC
ACTGGCGCCCGCGCGCACGGACCGCGGCGGGGACAGCGGCGGCGGGGACC
GCGGGGGCGGCGGCGGCAGAGTAGCCCTAACCGCTCCAGGTGCTGCCGAC
GCTCCGGGTGCGGGGGCCACCGCGGGCATCCACTGGTACTCGCAGCTGCT
CTACCAAATAGGCACCTGGCTCCTGGACAGCGAGGCCCTGCACCCGCTGG
GCATGGCGGTCAAGTCCAGCTGA -3′
(HINT: This gene was named after a video game that was also popular around the time I was 10.)