![]() ![]() It turns out that some sequences don’t work well and are prone to errors or breaking. ![]() First, the idea that each nucleotide can hold two bits of information doesn’t work. The way we do it with machines is different. When the cell divides, the whole chromosomes split in half, and then nucleotides that pair with the half-chain combine with the strand to make two complete copies. We have multiple chromosomes because if the strands get too long they break in the wrong places, so splitting them up makes sure this doesn’t happen. There’s even a mechanism for data integrity. Essentially every cell contains the mechanisms needed for reading and writing data. When information needs to be gleaned from this database, enzymes pull apart the chain along its length, make a copy of half in RNA, then transfer the RNA to a ribosome where the RNA is mirror copied into the appropriate protein. We’ve been taught that DNA is the blueprint of life, and that information about how cells are made and interact is encoded in the nucleotides of Adenine, Thymine, Guanine, and Cytosine, held together with their complement in a long chain. So, where is the state of the art in DNA data storage? There’s plenty of promise, but does it actually work? Beyond the volume, there’s also the promise of longevity and replication, maintaining a permanent record that can’t get lost and is easily transferred (like medical records), and even an element of subterfuge or data transportation, as well as the ability to design self-replicating machines whose purpose is to disseminate information broadly. Storing nearly infinite data onto extremely small cells could change everything. This kind of data density is far beyond our current digital storage capabilities. That’s without any kind of optimizing for data storage, too. You could pack 165 billion cells into the volume of a microSD card, which equates to 165 exobytes, and that’s if you keep all the overhead of the rest of the cell and not just the DNA. In reality every cell has two sets of chromosomes, so nearly every human cell has 1.5GB of data shoved inside. The human genome, with 3 billion base pairs can store up to 750MB of data. DNA could become a data storage mechanism! With all the sensationalism surrounding this frontier, it seems like a dose of reality is in order. The entire works of Shakespeare could be stored in an infinite number of monkeys. Maybe some day your thumb drive will be your actual thumb. Technology frequently looks at nature to make improvements in efficiency, and we may be nearing a new breakthrough in copying how nature stores data. ![]()
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