Sustainable DNA Data Storage on Cellulose Paper

• Published in: Small methods 2023-09, Vol.7 (9), p.e2201610-n/a
• Main Authors: Liu, Qian, Wei, Yanan, Wang, Zhaoguan, Song, Dong‐Po, Cui, Jingsong, Qi, Hao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: cellulose paper; DNA adsorption; DNA data storage; low cost
• ISSN: 2366-9608; 2366-9608
• DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202201610

DNA is a promising material for high density and long‐term archival data storage. In addition to algorithms for encoding digital information into DNA sequences, the DNA writing (chemical synthesis) and reading (DNA sequencing), the preservation of DNA mixtures with high sequence diversity is another critical issue for sustainable, long‐term, and large‐scale DNA data storage. Here, this work demonstrates a method for low‐cost, convenient and sustainable DNA data storage on cellulose paper. A DNA pool comprising thousands of sequences, in which archival data are encoded, is conveniently stored on a cellulose paper with a calculated density as high as 15 TB per mm3 through electrostatic adsorption. This work demonstrates that these digitally encoded DNA pools can be stable for years on the cellulose paper after drying even when directly exposed to air. Furthermore, the reversible electrostatic adsorption enables repeated loading/retrieval of DNA on/off cellulose paper. Therefore, this sustainable DNA preservation on cellulose paper through the convenient electrostatic adsorption exhibits a great advantage in terms of storage capacity and cost that is crucial for practical systems to achieve large‐scale and long‐time data storage. A low‐cost, convenient, and sustainable DNA data storage on cellulose paper. DNA strand pools comprising of over thousands of sequences in which archived data are encoded were conveniently preserved on cellulose paper with a calculated theoretical data density as high as 15.02 TB per mm3.