As textbooks would have it, the term “junk DNA” was coined in 1972 by Susumu Ohno as part of his work on the role of gene and genome duplication. I met Susumu Ohno at a meeting in Crete many years ago, and the way I understood what he told me was that he “deliberately” chose a “provocative term” to emphasize the “uselessness” of this DNA fraction.
I no longer believe this historical “narrative.”It all started with my obsession to read very thoroughly every article that I quote, instead of relying on indirect references.
Related on the SLP
Read the full, original story here: The Origin of Junk DNA: A Historical Whodunnit
