[wyvernjax]

Because to come to any real conclusions, we'd have to iteratively modify non-coding regions one at a time, and the resources to accomplish that are far beyond the average garage-geneticists's reach. And, sadly, there isn't a lot of funding for academic research into regions that aren't believed to have a significant impact.

[feelix]

Couldn't you just start with the odin (that I linked to above), and change loads of the non-coding DNA in the bacteria that comes with the getting started kit, and see if it survives or has any different characteristics?