University of Missouri scientists build rewritable DNA hard drive using nanopore sensor for storing and editing digital data.
DNA data storage has recently entered a new phase of development, as scientists in the US have built a rewritable digital hard drive capable of storing and editing information at the molecular level faster and more precise than ever before.
First proposed in 1959 by American physicist Richard Feynman, DNA data storage has since emerged as a potential solution for storing massive volumes of data by using nucleic acids as a medium for digital information.But once data is written into DNA, one of the most compact, durable information systems on the planet, it can’t be changed. To tackle the issue, researchers at the University of Missouri in Columbia, came up with an unexpected alternative. The team recently created a storage system that enables information written into DNA to be edited, therefore transforming it from a one-time storage medium into a rewritable digital hard drive.Turning DNA digitalLi-Qun ‘Andrew’ Gu, PhD, a chemical and biomedical engineering professor at the University of Missouri, noted that the team aimed to simplify DNA data storage. “DNA is incredible – it stores life’s blueprint in a tiny, stable package,” he added.Gu explained that modern computers store data as a series of zeros and ones. At the same time, DNA storage converts the bits into sequences of letters, including A, C, G, and T, the four nucleotide bases that form the genetic code.DNA’s storage density is so high that, in theory, all of the world’s data could fit inside a single shoebox. It is also stable for thousands of years when kept cool and dry, and it consumes far less energy than traditional data centers. Yet, until now, DNA storage has been permanent. This means that, once encoded, the information could not be edited or reused, which limited it mainly to long-term archiving. To address the limitation, Li and his team developed a method that allows DNA-stored data to be erased and overwritten repeatedly. This is crucial for storage systems meant for everyday use.The future of storageLi’s method allows DNA to act like a modern hard drive, and keep its exceptional storage density and long lifespan. Retrieving the information requires reading the DNA sequence.To achieve this, the team is designing a compact electronic device paired with a molecular-scale detector called a nanopore sensor. As the DNA passes through the sensor, it creates subtle electrical charges that software translates back into zeros and ones and, ultimately, the original data file. According to the team, the system is faster, simpler and more environmentally friendly than current approaches. Gu hopes to miniaturize it to roughly the size of a USB drive, in the long term. DNA stores information in three dimensions rather than on flat chips. This means its incredibly dense. Since it exists as a physical molecule instead of a constantly connected electronic system, it also offers added protection against hackers.“Think of it like a super-secure safe deposit box for your digital life,” Gu revealed in a statement. “DNA storage could protect everything from personal memories and important documents to scientific data and corporate archives – without the added cybersecurity concerns.”The study has been published in the journal PNAS Nexus.
DNA DNA Storage Hard Drives Innovation Molecular Design Nanopores Sustainability Synthetic DNA University Of Missouri USA
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