Research Article - Journal of RNA and Genomics (2024) Volume 20, Issue 1

Past epigenetic information archive with blockchain data architecture in a biological cellular substructure.

Past epigenetic information refers to the epigenetic modifications that occurred in the past that have since been updated. These modifications may no longer be present and not actively influencing cellular functions. When past epigenetic modifications disappear, the precise records of those modifications typically vanish. If this is indeed true, a critical question arises: Can an organism sustain continuous survival and evolution without the information about past epigenetic modifications up to the present? It is reasonable to assume that among the information about past modifications, there could be crucial data essential for survival and evolution. If all these experiences were to vanish, rendering them unknowable in the present, it would undoubtedly pose significant challenges to survival and evolution. Therefore, the argument that such epigenetic in-formation has been securely stored somewhere within the cell is not merely speculative but likely a factual reality. In this study, a new term, “Epigenetic Archive”, is introduced in biology. This refers to a data repository that encompasses all experience data on past epigenetic modifications. The argument presented here underscores the importance of the Epigenetic Archive and the need for its secure preservation. According to the argument, the information that cells experience should be continuously and securely stored, and any distortion of this information is said to be inconsistent with the principles of evolution and survival. This information is seen as evidence of a cell’s successful existence up to the present, and it is emphasized that this successful record must be preserved. From this perspective, the Epigenetic Archive should be designed to safely store past biological experiences and link this information securely to the present data.

This study proposes that the data architecture in the Epigenetic Archive is indeed akin to the principles of blockchain technology, particularly in terms of data immutability and a distributed ledger that securely preserves information across generations, ensuring that all cells possess consistent epigenetic information across a biological organism.

The applications and implications of such an analogy of blockchain to epigenetics could be an original contribution to future research on biology and genetics.

Author(s): Jung In Choi

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