DNA Computer Solves Sudoku and Stores Millions of Gigabytes for Millennia

A fully functional DNA computer is now closer to reality, thanks to a new technology capable of storing petabytes of data in DNA for thousands to millions of years. This system can also process information, as shown by its ability to solve sudoku puzzles.

Your little finger has more data storage capacity than the most advanced electronic hard drive—and that’s not an exaggeration.

Each cell in your body can store around 800 MB of data, and since you are composed of trillions of cells, every human is essentially a highly dense data center. Given this impressive natural storage capability, it’s no wonder that scientists are eager to harness it.

Overcoming Challenges in DNA Data Storage

However, using DNA for data storage comes with its challenges. DNA is fragile, making it difficult to reliably write, read, move, and process information. The new study, however, introduces a system designed to overcome these issues.

The solution lies in a soft polymer material that acts as a scaffold for the DNA. This material can be dehydrated for long-term storage and rehydrated when the data needs to be retrieved.

“We’ve specifically created polymer structures known as dendricolloids,” explained Orlin Velev, co-corresponding author of the study. “These structures start at the microscale and branch out hierarchically to form a network of nanoscale fibers. This design results in a high surface area, enabling us to deposit DNA among the nanofibrils without reducing the data density, which is a key advantage of DNA for data storage.”

Storing Data at High Density

This method enables data to be stored at an incredibly high density—10 petabytes per cubic centimeter, equivalent to 10 million gigabytes in a space the size of a sugar cube. The dendricolloid structure holds files more securely than bare DNA and can withstand over 170 dehydration/rehydration cycles, compared to 60 cycles for bare DNA.

Like other DNA-based data storage methods, this approach is ideal for long-term archival storage. The researchers estimate that DNA stored on their polymer nanofibrils would have a half-life of around 6,000 years at refrigerator temperatures (4 °C or 39 °F) and an astonishing 2 million years if frozen at -18 °C (0.4 °F).

Efficient Data Storage and Retrieval in DNA

To store data on DNA, algorithms first translate it into sequences of nucleic acids—the familiar ACGT letters of DNA code. Specific data can be retrieved using RNA molecules that copy the information from the DNA, followed by sequencing the RNA. This process allows data to be read without destroying the DNA, unlike some current DNA data storage techniques.

The new system also enables computations to be performed directly on the DNA using enzymes. This capability was demonstrated by solving simplified 3 x 3 chess and sudoku problems within the DNA.

“The ability to separate DNA information from the nanofibers it’s stored on lets us perform many of the same functions as electronic devices,” explained Kevin Lin, the study’s first author.

“We can copy DNA data directly from the material’s surface without damaging it. Additionally, we can erase specific DNA sequences and rewrite new data on the same surface, similar to deleting and rewriting information on a hard drive. This allows us to carry out a full range of DNA data storage and computing tasks.”

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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