Super Genes: The New Frontier of Competitive Sports
Will the next big controversy in sports be whether or not Genetically Enhanced Athletes are allowed to compete?
Gen Xers rarely gave college a thought until junior year. SAT prep consisted of sharpening a #2 pencil. So when my kids came along, it was a rude awakening that the college admissions game seemed to start in preschool. Select sports, violin, Latin and coding camps from age two. Even state universities that in my day required the base skill of fogging a mirror are now uber-competitive. Many kids simply can’t compete. As AI increasingly permeates our lives and fully merges with bioengineering, I imagine a future when Gen Z’s children might be competing against AI enhanced kids….
AI and CRISPR-Cas9 technologies are converging to advance gene editing, it’s certainly possible that technology will be used to create superhuman AI Babies for those who can afford them. Just ask Sylvie:
“Beep, beep, beep, beep.”
Sylvie glances at the alarm clock with one eye. Seven a.m. Damnit! Damn me! Damn my throbbing head! Damn Bourbon! Damn Champagne! Damn white wine!
Who schedules an eight a.m. soccer game on Saturday morning? It’s a conspiracy of the Catholic Youth Organization. Parents, we condone your drinking, but as penance, you must get up very early and suffer the consequences of your actions.
David is moaning next to her.
“Sleep in D. I’ll take Magnus to his game.”
“No, I want to watch.”
A scavenger hunt ensues to locate cleats, shin guards and jersey. Everyone is irritable.
“Holy crumb! I’m snack mom today.”
“Do you have snacks?” David says.
“Uhm…leftover spaghetti and meatballs?”
He sighs. “I’ll drop you two off and head to Krispy Kreme.” Sylvie can read his thought bubble: What in Hell do you do all day?
David weaves through the endless soccer fields of Magnusson Park. Sylvie peels her eyes for someone she recognizes. By the time they find the right field, the game has started. Sylvie approaches the sidelines hoping no one notices she’s late.
“Nice of you to make it,” her friend Jeannette says. “That was a fun parent party last night.”
“What’s the score?”
“Seven-zero.”
“How’s that possible? We’re only ten minutes late.”
Sylve watches Magnus’ team chase a kid down the field as he drives a perfect shot right into the goal.
“That kid is the entire team. Everyone’s saying he’s A.I. CRISPR.”
“Crispy? Is that some special sports league?” Sylvie asks.
“I’m serious, Sylv. Rumor has it Hercules is a genetic hybrid that gives him superhuman athleticism.”
“Good one, Jeannette. Greek Mythology.”
“What are you talking about? That’s his name.”
No joke, the science already exists. CRISPR-Cas9 technology combined with AI is a breakthrough system developed by scientists for gene editing. Future parents will have the option to alter known disease-causing genes in their child’s DNA in utero.
Jennifer Doudna, Nobel Prize Laureate, explained the system in her TED Talk, saying, “CRISPR allows us to precisely edit the DNA in living organisms… to change, remove, [or] replace the genes that govern the cells, [much] like a word processor finds, cuts and pastes text."
CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) refers to a specific pattern of DNA sequences found in the genomes of bacteria and archaea, a common microorganism. It is a natural defense mechanism that these organisms use to protect themselves against viruses by storing snippets of viral DNA in the CRISPR loci, allowing them to recognize and cut similar viral sequences during future infections.
I was stunned to learn it is a system created and used in nature for millions of years just waiting to be discovered and emulated by scientists.
CRISPR Evolution:
In 1987, Japanese scientist Yoshizumi Ishino observed repeating DNA sequences in E. coli with an unknown function. In the 1990s, Francisco Mojica identified similar sequences in archaea and suggested they might have a biological role. He called the sequences CRISPR.
In 2005, Alexander Bolotin’s research team identified matches between these sequences and viral DNA, proposing that CRISPR is part of a bacterial adaptive immune system. Bolotin’s team also discovered a new protein called Cas9 in the bacterial DNA, predicting this protein had nuclease activity, meaning it could act like molecular scissors to cut DNA.
Molecular scissors (Cas9) need to know where to cut. A crucial piece of the puzzle was discovered in 2011 by Emmanuelle Charpentier’s research team. They identified the trans-activating CRISPR RNA (tracrRNA), which, when combined with CRISPR RNA (crRNA), forms the guide RNA (gRNA). The gRNA functions like a GPS for the Cas9 protein, ensuring it cuts the DNA at the correct location.
When Doudna and Charpentier joined forces, they were the first to suggest that CRISPR-Cas9 could be used for gene editing. In their landmark 2012 paper, they demonstrated how CRISPR sequences, along with the Cas9 protein, could be adapted from the natural bacterial immune mechanism to allow precise genome editing. Their pioneering work earned them the Nobel Prize and has since revolutionized genetics, leading to applications in medicine, agriculture, and biotechnology.
AI's Role in Advancing CRISPR-Cas9
Integrating AI with CRISPR-Cas9 technology allows researchers to achieve more precise and effective gene editing, creating new pathways for treating genetic disorders and advancing medical treatments.
· Enhance Accuracy−AI models help design optimal gRNAs, predicting and minimizing off-target effects ensuring unintended parts of the genome are not altered.
· Massive Data: AI algorithms analyze vast amounts of genomic data beyond human capacity, allowing this data to be applied at the micro-level for precise CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing.
· Personalization and customization− AI identifies mutations, variations, and biomarkers to optimize genome editing techniques.
CRISPR-Cas9 in Utero
Current procedures are conducted on animal models and show promising results in the following areas:
· Treating Congenital Diseases: Researchers have successfully used CRISPR-Cas9 in utero to treat metabolic disorders and liver diseases in mice.
· Base Editing: Scientists have combined CRISPR-Cas9 with base editing tools to precisely modify DNA building blocks in known disease-causing genes, reducing the risk of occurrence or eliminating the possibility of the disease.
Creating Super Athletes with CRISPR-Cas9
As these techniques are perfected and become more routine, a marketplace for superhumans may emerge. With AI, we now have a complete sequence of the human genome. Ongoing AI-enabled research will eventually reveal the function of the 20,000-25,000 human genes and how they interact. By studying elite athletes, scientists have identified genes common to superior athletic performance:
· Speed Gene (ACTN3): This gene impacts the type of muscle fibers our bodies develop. A variation results in greater fast-twitch muscle fiber production, essential for quick, explosive movements like sprinting.
· Hercules Gene (MSTN): The MSTN gene encodes the protein myostatin, which regulates muscle growth. A variation called K153R reduces myostatin activity, leading to increased muscle mass and strength.
· Unbreakable Gene (LRP5): The G171V mutation in the LRP5 gene increases bone mineral density, resulting in strong and thick bones with high resistance to fractures.
I was more domestic cat than tiger mom, but we've all known the dad at Lil’ Kickers who thinks he's coaching the World Cup and yells profanities at four-year-olds. We’ve witnessed parents who shell out big bucks for travel teams, private coaches, trainers, and sports psychologists in the quest for college scholarships. With the advent of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals and the prospect of earning millions to play college sports, the pressure has increased exponentially.
Now, imagine a future where in utero bioengineering services are available, heralding a new era in competitive sports. Superhuman athleticism accessible only to the highest income brackets, as the rest of us warm the bench or join UGH—Unedited Genetic Humans—sports leagues.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
CRISPR's Next Advance Is Bigger Than You Think | Jennifer Doudna | TED
Jennifer Doudna (UC Berkeley / HHMI): Genome Engineering with CRISPR-Cas9
CRISPR Timeline | Broad Institute
I have never heard anyone talk about how they will use this technology to edit EVERY cell in the body…editing an archaea single cell is one thing, but a whole baby in utero already has so many differentiated cells, how can the tech edit ALL cells?
Does it not matter? Seems like it would, depending on the issue.