A paradigm for biology is emerging in which cells can be genetically programmed to write their histories into their own genomes. These records can subsequently be read, and the cellular histories reconstructed, which for each cell could include a record of its lineage relationships, extrinsic influences, internal states and physical locations, over time. DNA recording has the potential to transform the way that we study developmental and disease processes. Recent advances in genome engineering are driving the development of systems for DNA recording, and meanwhile single-cell and spatial omics technologies increasingly enable the recovery of the recorded information. Combined with advances in computational and phylogenetic inference algorithms, the DNA recording paradigm is beginning to bear fruit. In this Perspective, we explore the rationale and technical basis of DNA recording, what aspects of cellular biology might be recorded and how, and the types of discovery that we anticipate this paradigm will enable.

一种生物学范式正在出现，其中细胞可以通过基因编程将其历史写入自己的基因组。随后可以读取这些记录，并重建细胞历史，对于每个细胞，这可能包括其谱系关系、外在影响、内部状态和物理位置随时间变化的记录。DNA 记录有可能改变我们研究发育和疾病过程的方式。基因组工程的最新进展正在推动 DNA 记录系统的发展，与此同时，单细胞和空间组学技术越来越多地能够恢复记录的信息。结合计算和系统发育推理算法的进步，DNA 记录范式开始结出硕果。在这个视角中，我们探讨了 DNA 记录的基本原理和技术基础，可以记录细胞生物学的哪些方面以及如何记录，以及我们预计这种范式将实现的发现类型。