DNA DIGITAL STORAGE

FUTURE OF STORAGE TECHNOLOGY

MOHAMMED MUBEEN
ECE
ROLL NO : 44
 INTRODUCTION

 Refers to the scheme to store digital data in the base sequence of DNA
 Uses artificial DNA made using commercially available oligonucleotide synthesis
WHAT IS DNA?

 Deoxyribonucleic acid
 Molecule that carries the genetic instructions
 Essential for all known forms of life
 Consist of two biopolymer strands coiled around each other to form a double
helix.
 Nature’s storage device, replicating and propagating genetic code over
thousands of generations
DNA under an electron microscope
DO WE NEED ANOTHER STORAGE
TECHNOLOGY?

 Rapid growth of data generated.

 Information to be stored for long periods.
 Prone to damage from external factors.
 Rise in e-waste.
 Requires more energy.

E-waste disposal site

STRUCTURE OF DNA

 DNA consists of Adenine(A), Guanine(G), Cytosine(C) and

Thymine(T).
 Paired into nucleotide base pairs A-T and G-C.
 Backbone of the DNA strand is made from alternating
phosphate and sugar residues.
 Single nucleotide can represent 2 bits of information
CODES FOR ENCODING

 The Huffman Code

 The Comma Code
 The Alternate Code
 Comma Free Code
 Improved Huffman Code
 Perfect Genetic Code
HOW DNA AS STORAGE TECHNOLOGY?
 Source data in form of binary bits (0 and 1) was converted to a tertiary bit code (0,
1 and 2) to decrease chances of encoding errors.
 Following the conversion, the digital data is encoded into the nucleobases of
DNA.
 By altering the positions of nucleobases A,T,G and C, the tertiary code can be
mapped onto the nucleobases codes, thus making a repetitive blocks of nucleobases
that encode data.
 The encoded DNA then can be sequenced and read back to tertiary and then to
binary data using technologies similar to those used to map the human genome.
PROCESS
Coding : Any digital file—a movie, medical records, the
Encyclopedia Britannica—can be converted to a “genetic file”
and stored as strands of DNA. First the digital file’s binary
code is translated into the four-letter genetic code, composed
of the As, Cs, Gs, and Ts that represent the chemical building
blocks of DNA strands.

Synthesis : Then a synthetic-biology company manufactures

the strands to the customer’s specifications.

Storage : A test tube containing the genetic file can be stashed

away in cold storage until someone wants to retrieve the
information.
Retrieval : A standard DNA sequencing machine reads
out the genetic code.

Decoding : The code is then translated back into binary.

WHY DNA?

 A mere milligram of the molecule could encode the complete text of every book
in the Library of Congress.
 Very high data density.
 More compact than current magnetic tape or hard drive storage.
Human genetic code
Designing and synthesizing DNA with modern day software’s
APPLICATIONS

 National security for information hiding

purposes and for data stenography.
 Preserve safely the personal information of a person such as medical information
and family history in their own bodies.
 Storage of archival documents.
DEVELOPMENTS

 Microsoft is making huge investment in DNA data storage research. The company
reported that it had written 200 MB data, including War and Peace and 99 other
literary classics, into DNA.
 Twist Bioscience of San Francisco used a machine to create the strings letter by letter
that canbuild up to 1.6 million strings at a time.
 The field has scope for research in the coming years.
OUR FUTURE!!

An artist’s impression of a DNA storage device

THANK YOU !