A Rewritable, Random-Access DNA-Based Storage System

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel DNA storage system that allows random access and rewriting of data, overcoming previous limitations of read-only DNA storage and demonstrating high capacity and versatility.

Contribution

The paper presents the first DNA storage architecture enabling random access and rewriting, using new coding and editing techniques for reliable, high-capacity data storage.

Findings

Successfully encoded and edited Wikipedia data in DNA

Achieved high data density and reliable access

Demonstrated rewritable DNA storage in practice

Abstract

We describe the first DNA-based storage architecture that enables random access to data blocks and rewriting of information stored at arbitrary locations within the blocks. The newly developed architecture overcomes drawbacks of existing read-only methods that require decoding the whole file in order to read one data fragment. Our system is based on new constrained coding techniques and accompanying DNA editing methods that ensure data reliability, specificity and sensitivity of access, and at the same time provide exceptionally high data storage capacity. As a proof of concept, we encoded parts of the Wikipedia pages of six universities in the USA, and selected and edited parts of the text written in DNA corresponding to three of these schools. The results suggest that DNA is a versatile media suitable for both ultrahigh density archival and rewritable storage applications.