Bits to Bases: Digital Immortality of DNA Data Storage

By Gloria Mariwa

In the digital kingdom of Equifax, crafty black-hat hackers breached the fortress’ defences, capturing the personal information of a staggering 147 million people!

This breach wasn’t your everyday cybercrime — it was a stark reminder of the constant cybersecurity risks we face. Many Americans saw their credit scores drop, and identity theft ran rampant, showing the real-world consequences of digital attacks.

The infamous Equifax story is more than just a tale of security distress. This lesson highlights the importance of strong online protection for individuals and organizations.

In this digital age, we need to explore innovative solutions like DNA data storage, which could provide unparalleled security for our most sensitive information in the future.

DNA Data Storage

What is DNA Data Storage?

DNA data storage is a method of encoding and storing digital information within synthetic DNA molecules.

It’s the conversion between digital information (binary), 0s and 1s, and DNA’s genetic alphabets, adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G) and thymine (T).

How?

Transferring computer data (binary) to DNA data (bases), and vice versa only requires 7 steps:

1. Binarization: Turning digital files into binary code (0s and 1s).
2. Encoding: Using the binary code, the data is transferred from 0s and 1s to A, T, C and G, the DNA code where each letter has a binary equivalent value.
3. DNA Synthesis: Once the DNA data has been converted, it’s used to build DNA strands.
4. Storage: The DNA data in strands are stored in cool controlled environments to preserve the data.
5. DNA Sequencing: DNA strands are converted back to DNA code, A, T, C and G.
6. Decoding: Using the genetic alphabet, A, T, C and G, the data is transferred into binary code, 1s and 0s.
7. Reading: Since the data is in 1s and 0s, computer systems can understand and turn it into digital human-readable files.

Conversion Between Digital Data Storage & DNA Data Storage

DNA’s Digital Destiny

Although this technology is in its early stages, the possibilities of DNA data storage are endless, especially because our current data storage method, data centres, has proved not to be efficient. Soon Solid State Drives (SSDs) will be viewed as floppy disks, an outdated storage method of the past.

Even if it’s in its beginning stages, DNA data storage has a highly promising future with an upward trajectory but like everything else there are pros and cons.

DNA’s Data Benefits

• Storage Compatibility: The whole internet can fit in a shoe box if it is stored in DNA strands.
• Data Preservation: The perfect example is us, human beings, our DNA data has been preserved through thousands of years.
• Easy Future Accessibility: DNA data does not become outdated like our current storage medium (data centres) but instead lasts for centuries.
• Built-in Error Detection: Extra information is added during the storage of DNA data to check for mistakes. When retrieving the data, errors are checked and often fixed to ensure the data’s accuracy.
• Eco-friendly: DNA data storage offers high data density, reduced energy consumption and less material waste which overall lowers the carbon footprint compared to our traditional data storage methods.
• Rock-Solid Security: Its stability, compactness, encryption, limited accessibility and built-in error detection measures all contribute to its unyielding security.

DNA’s Data Challenges

• Costly: The equipment needed to convert between digital data and DNA data and the storage systems are expensive.
• Delayed Data Access: Unlike turning on a computer to check a folder with your data, DNA data storage has more time-consuming steps that you can’t skip.
• Error Prone Process: Although it has a built-in error detection system, DNA data storage can be error-prone due to synthesis, degradation and handling errors that may result in data corruption.
• Limited Edits: DNA data storage is good in terms of long-term storage since there are data editing restrictions.
• Specialized Requirements: Not only do you need the right equipment but you will also need the right knowledge to properly use the machines.
• Strict Environmental Conditions: Just like data centres, you need specific conditions to preserve the DNA data but they’re slightly more flexible than data centre’s conditions.
• Ethical Concerns: The use of genetic data may raise privacy and responsibility concerns due to how sensitive this data may be.

Genetic Gaze Into Data’s Future

Currently, there are more challenges than benefits but I know with more research into DNA data storage and more investments into the field, the majority of these risks will be solved and DNA data storage will be our main efficient form of data storage.

Digital data storage like binary code will still be used but as time goes by, the number of people using it will reduce due to the advancement in DNA data storage.

In the time we are in, no day passes without data being collected or processed. Better efficient methods of data storage are desperately needed and now DNA data storage is our best bet.

Companies like Twist Bioscience are doing wonders in this field, our job is to keep up with the ever-changing world and do our best to contribute to the advancements for a better future.