US 2018/0004890 A1 · TIMING OF LOGGED MOLECULAR EVENTS

Abstract

A log of molecular events experienced by a cell and timing indicators for those events are stored in existing polynucleotides through a process of creating a double strand break (“DSB”) in a polynucleotide and inserting a new polynucleotide sequence by repairing the DSB with homology directed repair (“HDR”). The presence, order, and number of new polynucleotide sequences provides a log of events and timing of those events. Cellular mechanisms for creating the DSB and/or repairing with HDR are regulated by intra- or extra-cellular signals. When the log is created in the DNA of a cell, the changes may be heritably passed to subsequent generations of the cell. A correlation between the cellular signals and sequence of inserted HDR templates allows for identification of events and the timing experienced by the cell.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for creating a temporal record in a polynucleotide log, the system comprising:

a gene oscillator that creates a signal at a periodicity;
a double-stranded polynucleotide having a target site;
an enzyme configured to create a double strand break (DSB) in the double-stranded polynucleotide at a cut site in the target site;
and
a gene encoding a homology directed repair (HDR) template configured for insertion into the cut site, the HDR template including a middle portion that is not homologous to the target site, the gene expressing the HDR template based on presence of the signal relative to a threshold level,
wherein the HDR template is incorporated into the double-stranded polynucleotide with a frequency that is based on the periodicity.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Timing of logged molecular events

Life of this patent

Timing of logged molecular events

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20