Peking university's breakthrough accelerates DNA data storage 350x
Scientists from Peking University have discovered a method to store data on DNA 350 times faster than previous techniques. This new approach enables the storage of text, images, and various other files.
6:44 PM EDT, October 27, 2024
Although one gram of DNA can hold hundreds of millions of gigabytes of data, the technology needed further refinement because encoding information into DNA was an extremely tedious process. Creating each DNA molecule required synthesizing it "from scratch" to encode specific information. The breakthrough by Chinese scientists may transform this scenario.
A team led by Long Qian at Peking University has managed to accelerate the DNA encoding process hundreds of times by mimicking the natural biological process that drives gene expression.
Data storage in DNA
Scientists successfully encoded substantial amounts of information, including images, at speeds hundreds of times faster than previously possible. The team converted long strands of DNA into binary code, consisting of sequences of ones and zeros, similar to computer data storage.
They began with prefabricated DNA templates, which served as a foundation for adding shorter DNA strands. This process was akin to threading beads onto a string. Researchers then used a chemical reaction to attach a methyl group (CH3), a molecule composed of carbon and hydrogen, to some of these "beads."
Methylated "beads" represent ones in the binary code, while unmethylated beads serve as zeros. In natural conditions, cells use this methylation process to modify DNA without altering the basic sequence, thereby staining additional layers of regulatory information.
Qian and her team devised a way to conduct this process multiple times simultaneously by adding a special "barcode" to each template. This advancement enabled them to store 350 units of information, or bits, on a DNA sample at once—hundreds of times more than the previous standard of storing just one bit at a time.
As test images, the scientists stored a picture of a panda and a depiction of an ancient Chinese tiger, retrieving them later using a DNA sequencer aided by an error correction algorithm. The data retrieval results were well-received, as the retrieved images were reproduced with 97 percent accuracy or greater.
DNA data encoding - A simple process
The process was straightforward enough for 60 student volunteers to practice storing text in DNA samples using do-it-yourself kits. These kits included basic chemical equipment for methylation reactions and a computer program that translated their words into code. Despite having no experience working with DNA, the volunteers achieved impressive results, with error rates in the encoding process being less than two percent.
According to Qian, this development could create desktop DNA printers or data storage kits for home or small organizations. Experts believe DNA-based technology may prove exceptionally useful for archival storage, particularly as DNA reading methods are expected to become increasingly refined.