Have we found the Holy Grail of genetic engineering?

Since its introduction four decades ago, genetic engineering has been a source of high hopes for health, agriculture, and industry.

The genome can be viewed as a kind of musical score. Just as sheet music tells musicians in an orchestra when and how to play, the genome tells the cell's component parts (generally proteins) what they must do. A score may also include notes from the composer, showing possible changes, frills that can be added or omitted depending on the circumstances. For the genome, such "notes" emerge from cell survival over many generations in an ever-changing environment.

The DNA genetic program is akin to a fragile book: the order of its pages can change, with some even being moved to another cell's program. If a page is, say, laminated, it is less likely to be damaged as it is moved around. Likewise, elements of a genetic program protected by a solid coating are better able to invade a variety of cells, and then to reproduce as the cell reproduces.