This topic is still very controversial and I don't think the article should be citing it in this context.
It was only a few months ago that the ENCODE project released its first results claiming that 80% of the genome is "functional", and many scientists have noted that their definition of "functional" is much too broad. It includes any piece of DNA that becomes bound to protein at some time, while it is known that many proteins bind nonspecifically.
Yup. Most of the DNA is not directly involved in coding proteins but we've been finding out more and more of how DNA works. Significant parts of DNA are there merely to help maintain chemical and solubility properties so that the DNA coils correctly. And far more of it is there for gene regulation.
This topic is still very controversial and I don't think the article should be citing it in this context.
It was only a few months ago that the ENCODE project released its first results claiming that 80% of the genome is "functional", and many scientists have noted that their definition of "functional" is much too broad. It includes any piece of DNA that becomes bound to protein at some time, while it is known that many proteins bind nonspecifically.