---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In other words, the more genomically…"
description: "\"“In other words, the more genomically complex the organism, the larger the percentage of the genome devoted to gene regulation by the environment.”\" — ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb6/robert-m-sapolsky-1166_biology_in-other-words-the-more-genomically-comp_58531.png"
---

#  In other words, the more genomically complex the organism…

![“In other words, the more genomically complex the organism, the larger the percentage of the genome devoted to gene regulation by the environment.” quote by Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb6/robert-m-sapolsky-1166_biology_in-other-words-the-more-genomically-comp_58531.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb6/robert-m-sapolsky-1166_biology_in-other-words-the-more-genomically-comp_58531.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb6/robert-m-sapolsky-1166_biology_in-other-words-the-more-genomically-comp_58531.png)

> ““In other words, the more genomically complex the organism, the larger the percentage of the genome devoted to gene regulation by the environment.””

[Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Complex organisms allocate a higher share of their DNA to regulatory mechanisms that respond to environmental cues, enabling flexible adaptation.

**In simple terms:** More DNA for environmental regulation in complex life.

Key Takeaway

Genome size ↔ regulatory proportion.

Themes

genomics environmental adaptation regulatory biology evolutionary complexity systems biology

Mood

curiosity awe analytical

Type

scientific observation theoretical insight

When to use this quote

- studying evolutionary trade‑offs
- designing synthetic organisms
- interpreting disease susceptibility
- educational curricula on genetics

Key Concepts

gene regulation genomic architecture phenotypic plasticity

Practical Applications

- bioinformatics analyses of regulatory element density
- engineering crops with enhanced stress responses

Questions to Reflect On

- How does regulatory DNA influence organismal resilience?
- What limits exist on expanding regulatory regions?

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[Biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/)

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