perl> $dna = "NNNNATCGNNNTCGANNN";;
perl> $dna =~ s[^N*(.*?)N*$][$1];;
perl> print $dna;;
ATCGNNNTCGA

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Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
Lingua non convalesco, consenesco et abolesco. -- Rule 1 has a caveat! -- Who broke the cabal?
"Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".
In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.

In reply to Re: Removing Flanking "N"s in a DNA String by BrowserUk
in thread Removing Flanking "N"s in a DNA String by monkfan

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