11 Mar '09 14:05>
Originally posted by sonhouseStill i dont think it would matter that much, it wouldnt automaticly lead to more complex lifeforms.
For one thing, if you managed to make a triple helix, you would be able to store more data in a smaller volume so you could have more complex lifeforms.
We only use a small part of our DNA for information anyways.
"In many species, only a small fraction of the total sequence of the genome encodes protein. For example, only about 1.5% of the human genome consists of protein-coding exons, with over 50% of human DNA consisting of non-coding repetitive sequences.[57]"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA
And even more genes doenst lead to more complex lifeforms. Plants seem to have the most genes, around 50 thousand. Humans and mamals like mice and rats have around 25 thousand genes. Insects and worms contain around 10 to 20 thousand genes.