Open AccessRandom access DNA memory using Boolean search in an archival file storage system
Author(s) -
James L. Banal,
Tyson R. Shepherd,
Joseph Berleant,
Hellen Huang,
Miguel Reyes,
Cheri M. Ackerman,
Paul C. Blainey,
Mark Bathe
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
nature materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 14.344
H-Index - 483
eISSN - 1476-4660
pISSN - 1476-1122
DOI - 10.1038/s41563-021-01021-3
Subject(s) - computer science , random access , sorting , metadata , scalability , computer data storage , dna , selection (genetic algorithm) , computer hardware , database , algorithm , chemistry , operating system , artificial intelligence , biochemistry
DNA is an ultrahigh-density storage medium that could meet exponentially growing worldwide demand for archival data storage if DNA synthesis costs declined sufficiently and if random access of files within exabyte-to-yottabyte-scale DNA data pools were feasible. Here, we demonstrate a path to overcome the second barrier by encapsulating data-encoding DNA file sequences within impervious silica capsules that are surface labelled with single-stranded DNA barcodes. Barcodes are chosen to represent file metadata, enabling selection of sets of files with Boolean logic directly, without use of amplification. We demonstrate random access of image files from a prototypical 2-kilobyte image database using fluorescence sorting with selection sensitivity of one in 10 6 files, which thereby enables one in 10 6N selection capability using N optical channels. Our strategy thereby offers a scalable concept for random access of archival files in large-scale molecular datasets.