A research group at Keio University, Japan has announced
the development of a new technology that enables the use of bacterial DNA as a
medium for long-term data preservation.
The researchers are developing this new technology by
creating an artificial DNA that carries the data. Multiple copies of the information are programmed into the DNA, which
is then inserted into the
bacterial genome sequence. The duplicate copies serve as backup against natural
degradation. The scientists said they successfully encoded "e= mc2 1905!"--Einstein's famous theory the date of discovery--on the common
soil bacteria, Bacillus subtilis.
Results from the findings were recently published in the electronic edition of Biotechnology Progress (PDF). The article's abstract reads:
The practical realization of DNA data storage is a major scientific goal. Here
we introduce a simple, flexible and robust data storage and retrieval method
based ON sequence alignment of the genomic DNA of living organisms. Duplicated
data encoded by different oligonucleotide sequences was inserted redundantly
into multiple loci of the Bacillus subtilis genome. Multiple alignment of
the bit data sequences decoded by B. subtilis genome sequences enabled
the retrieval of stable and compact data without the need for template DNA,
parity checks and or error-correcting algorithms. Combined with the
computational simulation of data retrieval from mutated message DNA and a
practical use of this alignment-based method is discussed.
The significance of this development is the encoded DNA of
bacteria would be passed down from generation to generation, making it a
possible long-term medium. Today’s storage mediums are estimated to retain
their integrity for up to a century, but scientists estimate that that data stored
in bacteria could last for thousands of years.