PNNL-13501 - Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Study Control Number: PN00085/1492
The DNA Approach to Organic Data Memory
Pak Chung Wong, Kwong Kwok Wong, Harlan Foote
We can create and alter existing DNA sequences. With a careful coding scheme, we have shown that we not only are
able to put important information in a tiny DNA sequence safely and permanently but also are able to retrieve it later.
This technology has many potential applications, including storing and protecting information.
Project Description
The purpose of this project is to prove that we can plant
and recover meaningful information in DNA sequences.
Our results show that we can store a sizable amount of
information in the DNA strands of certain microorganisms,
such as bacteria. The treated bacteria in our
experiments were able to grow and multiply with the
embedded information. More importantly, we were able
to retrieve all the information from the bacteria.
Introduction
A data preservation problem looms large behind today’s
information superhighway. During the prehistoric age,
people preserved their knowledge by engraving bones and
rocks. About two millennia ago, people invented paper
and started writing and publishing. In today’s electronic
age, we use magnetic media and silicon chips to store our
data. But bones and rocks erode, paper disintegrates, and
electronic memory simply loses its contents. Each of
these storage media require constant attention to maintain
their information content. Each can easily be destroyed
intentionally or accidentally by people or natural
disasters. Because of the vast amount of information
generated by society, we undertook new efforts to explore
a new generation of data memory.
Results and Accomplishments
The creation of our DNA memory prototype consisted of
four major steps:
1. encoding meaningful information as artificial DNA
sequences
2. transforming the sequences to living organisms
3. allowing the organisms to grow and multiply
4. extracting the information back from the organisms.
We were successful in all four steps. Figure 1 shows a
part of the DNA analysis after the last step of our
experiment. The English interpretation is a part of the
Disney theme song, “It’s a Small World” (Sherman and
Sherman 1963).
Summary and Conclusions
With the current technology, we can generate artificial
DNA molecules or alter the DNA sequences of existing
DNA molecules. With a careful coding scheme and
arrangement, we have shown that we can encode
important information as an artificial DNA strand and
store it safely and permanently in a living host. This
technology can be used to identify origins and to protect
research investments such as agricultural products and
endangered species. It can also be used in environmental
research to track generations of organisms and observe
the ecological impact of pollutants. Today, there are
microorganisms that can survive heavy radiation
exposure, high temperatures, and many other extreme
conditions. They are among the perfect protectors for the
otherwise fragile DNA strands that preserve our encoded
information. Finally, we have living organisms such as
weeds and cockroaches that have existed on earth for
hundreds of millions of years. These organisms may be
candidates for preserving critical information for future
generations.
Reference
Sherman RM and RB Sherman. 1963. “It’s a small
world.” The Disneyland and Walt Disney World
Attraction, California.
Computer Science and Information Technology 167