X-Message-Number: 22642
From: "Bill Warner" <>
Subject: My proposal for life extension - long term
Date: Sat, 4 Oct 2003 18:04:55 -0500

I recently got involved in the life extension paradigm so my idea may
have 
already been suggested, discussed and dissected. It could be that my
idea is 
basic and obvious to those that have been involved for awhile. Feel free
to 
let me know.
 
The basis of my idea (or assumptions) is: 
1.) The telomere is composed of a repeating genetic sequence.
2.) The telomeres of chromosomes shorten each time a cell divides.
3.) This shortening of the telomere is the basis of aging (as I
understand it, 
this is still controversial).
4.) The shortening of the telomere uncovers additional genes that code
for 
aging and eventually death.
5.) Successful cells are based on hundreds of enzymes (or more) that do
a 
specific task for the cell. Of course, these enzymes (proteins) are
created by 
the codes in the DNA itself.
6.) We will be able to design biological proteins to perform specific
tasks or 
design nanobots to perform specific tasks.
 
What needs to be developed is either a complex biological molecule 
(complex like the mitochondria) or a nanobot that performs these
specific 
(albeit involved) tasks:
1.) penetrate cell membranes-
2.) penetrate the nucleus-
3.) not elicit a negative immune response-
4.) determine that the cell is currently not in the process dividing-
5.) locate the end of a chromosome- 
6.) "walk" the chromosome (analogous to the mitochondria walking the 
mRNA to produce proteins)-
7.) Recognize the specific genetic sequence that characterize the
telomere 
and count the telomere sequences-
8.) Research would have to tell us how many sequences characterize those
of 
a 25 year old (assuming 25 is our target age).  
9.) If it reaches the "end" of the telomere without reaching the target
count 
that it has been programmed with, it would assemble a proper telomere 
sequence and attach it to the end of the telomere (or it would attach a
pre-
assembled sequence that it is "carrying"-maybe it wouldn't seek out the
end 
of a chromosome until it has assembled a sequence for when it needs it).
10.) If it reaches the target count of telomere sequences that it has
been 
programmed with, it would detach from the chromosome having done 
nothing but having walked the telomere.
11.) Continually repeat from 4.)
12.) If it meets up with another just like itself, one of the two
decides to go 
to another cell. They'd be programmed to have the ability to arbitrate
this 
decision between them or each one could have an identifying label and
the 
one with the label that is smallest would be the one to move on.
13.) They could be given the ability to determine if they're damaged.
They'd 
then exit the cell and "allow" themselves to be flushed from the body.
14.) They wouldn't be given the ability to replicate though so they
couldn't 
"develop or evolve" problems. You'd be provided with the proper quantity
of 
them through injections. Eventually, you'd be supplied with as many of
them 
as the number of cells in your body. Since your body continues to divide

cells, you'd re-supply yourself with them at regular intervals. ...or
maybe I'm 
just not imaginative enough to consider how they'd create a copy of 
themselves at the right time and have a copy move to the newly divided
cell.
15.) If something unforeseen happens, they'd be given the ability to
flush 
themselves from the person they've been injected into upon some kind of 
signal.
16.) To accomplish this list of "tasks", they'd have to make use of
available 
energy (like ATP) and molecular building blocks.
 
I don't know a lot about biology and nanotechnology yet, but these are
my 
initial musings. What do you think? Is this the direction we should be 
pushing research. Will it arrive in time for us? :-)
 
I'm going to post this to several places to get the discussion going so
don't be 
surprised (or upset) if you see it somewhere else too.
 
Thanks for considering my proposal!
 
Bill Warner


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