While electronic data storage systems continue to evolve, the new DNA printing technique is about to revolutionize the field. Much like printing presses, this new technique is as simple as anyone can use it.
Although electronic data storage systems are becoming increasingly efficient, DNA, one of nature's most powerful tools, is set to revolutionize this area with a new technology. The developed DNA printing method makes storing data in DNA as easy and fast as using a printer.
Writing data to DNA used to be an extremely slow process, akin to assembling billions of letters one by one. However, scientists have developed a new method called the "DNA printer," which speeds up this process. Using this new technique, 700 DNA blocks consisting of 24 bases each were created. Each block acts like a movable letter and can be arranged in the desired order, "printed" onto DNA template strands, and the data is transferred. Unlike traditional methods, this system can write 350 bits of data simultaneously in one process.
The new system works with binary code (1s and 0s) instead of using DNA’s familiar GCAT letters. Chemical markers are added to the blocks; marked ones represent "1," while unmarked ones represent "0." This approach makes data encoding in DNA much easier and clearer. In experiments, an image of an ancient Chinese tiger consisting of 16,833 bits and a panda photo of 252,500 bits were successfully transferred to DNA, and all data could be read back.
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This technique mimics how human cells store genetic information. DNA's methyl groups act as chemical markers that regulate genetic expression. Researchers redesigned this mechanism by treating DNA blocks as movable letters and using the DNA template as a blank paper. The "ink" part of the process is handled by an enzyme. The enzyme copies all methyl groups from the blocks onto every part of the DNA template. Then, a nanopore sequencing device can read the pattern of 1s and 0s to reconstruct the stored digital files.
According to the research, multiple writing operations are done simultaneously rather than in pieces. As a result, accelerating the process and making it accessible to non-scientists could help turn DNA into a viable data storage medium.
