FokInukleaasin

FokInukleaasin is a fictional enzyme class described in speculative biology and science fiction world-building. It is presented as a site-specific DNA-modifying enzyme derived from an imagined organism called Fokia and placed within a family of restriction-like nucleases. The name draws on motifs associated with real-world FokI-like systems and the imagined word for nucleic acids, creating a credible-sounding entry for readers exploring genetic engineering concepts in a fictional setting.

In the canonical fictional portrayal, FokInukleaasin is a dimeric protein with each monomer contributing to a two-metal-ion catalytic mechanism, typically Mg2+ or Mn2+. The enzyme recognizes a defined seven-base-pair DNA motif and cleaves both strands to produce cohesive ends with a staggered offset. Some depictions describe a modular recognition region that can be retargeted by altering amino acid residues, allowing the enzyme to be redirected to new sequences without altering the catalytic core. Although presented as a thought experiment, these details align with common themes in discussions of programmable nucleases—namely specificity, activity, and modularity.

Discovery and usage within fictional literature place the first description in the mid-22nd century, credited to researchers in a scholarly, city-state context. FokInukleaasin is frequently used in world-building to illustrate programmable DNA cleavage without RNA guides and as a teaching tool for genome-editing concepts, including the limits of specificity and the potential for off-target effects. Variants with altered recognition rules are described in some works, expanding the imagined toolkit for sequence targeting.

See also: FokI, restriction endonucleases, programmable nucleases, and nuclease specificity.