By now most people know about the DNA code. A DNA strand consists of a sequence of molecules, or letters, that encodes for proteins. Many people do not realize, however, that there are additional, more nuanced, codes associated with the DNA. For instance, minor chemical modifications (such as the addition of a methyl group) to the DNA provide bar-code like signals to the protein machinery that operate on the DNA. This DNA methylation influences which genes, along the DNA strand, are read off. And this DNA methylation itself may be modified to provide additional information.
Or again, the DNA is wrapped around histone proteins, and these histones are also bar-coded. The histones have a hub, around which the DNA wraps, and a tail that sticks out on which chemical tags are attached. Again these tags are signals for the protein machinery. Furthermore, these tags are removed as well. Such modifications and removal of these chemical tags means that these codes are dynamic, and there are protein inspectors that double-check these complex encodings.
These subtle codes are also context dependent. In one type of cell a histone modification may turn off a gene whereas in another type of cell the same histone modification may turn on the gene.
New research has elucidated some of the structural details of the histone inspectors. This is important research because these subtle codes, and associated machinery and mechanisms, are not yet fully understood. They have profound biological impact, but we still have much to learn about how it all works.
Needless to say the idea that all of this arose on its own, as a consequence mutations and the like, luckily putting together such intricacies, is beyond silly. Religion drives science, and it matters.
