Nanorobotic Approaches for Activation of Non-Coding DNA Using CRISPR-Cas9: A Conceptual Framework
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55544/jrasb.5.2.4Keywords:
Non-Coding Regions, CRISPR- Cas9, NanorobotsAbstract
The human genome comprises approximately 3.2 billion base pairs, of which only 1-2% encode proteins, corresponding to around 20,000-25,000 functional genes. The remaining 98-99% of the genome, once regarded as "junk DNA," consists of introns, regulatory elements, repetitive sequences, non-coding RNAs, and other non-coding regions. Recent evidence suggests that while only 10-15% of these sequences are actively functional, the vast majority remain in an inactive state, potentially harboring remnants of ancestral and evolutionary genetic information. We propose a transformative concept that integrates nanotechnology with genome editing to explore this hidden genetic reservoir. Specifically, nanorobots could be employed to deliver CRISPR-Cas9 systems with high precision to non-coding regions of the genome. By inserting artificial promoter sequences to activate genes and termination sequences to regulate expression length, dormant or ancestral genetic elements could be reawakened in a controlled, stepwise manner.
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