Researchers at Northwestern University in the State of Illinois in the United States conducted a study in which they determined that it would be possible to store data from all current hard drives on just a few hundred pounds of 'DNA (100 pounds equals about 45 kg).

The efficiency of DNA for storing very large amounts of information has led many scientists to research bio-recording technologies for digital storage.

Researchers at Northwestern University estimate that DNA is millions of times more efficient at storing data than current storage solutions.

So far, teams working on the use of DNA to store data have not been able to overcome the difficulties inherent in this type of technology.

However, researchers at Northwestern University recently came up with a method of recording information in DNA that would only take a few minutes, compared to the hours or days required today for similar technologies.

"Turtle" process

According to the researchers, this method writes information into DNA using an enzyme to synthesize DNA.

This enzyme can be manipulated directly and would allow information to be stored continuously.

The method is called "Time-sensitive Untemplated Recording using Tdt for Local Environmental Signals" or "TURTLE" for short. The process can synthesize entirely new DNA rather than copying a template, resulting in faster and higher resolution recording. The data is recorded in the genetic code in just a few minutes. Scientists believe that the TURTLE system could be useful for long-term archival data applications.

The researchers believe that this method could also change the way neurons are studied in the brain. This process could allow scientists to place "recorders" inside all cells, making it easier to map responses to stimuli. This would make it possible, for example, to record the behavior of neurons in order to discover the mysteries about what is happening in our brain.

“Nature is good at copying DNA, but we really wanted to be able to write DNA from scratch,” says Keith EJ Tyo, lead author of the article.

“The

ex vivo

(outside the body) way of doing it involves slow chemical synthesis.

Our method is much cheaper to write information because the enzyme that synthesizes DNA can be directly manipulated.

"Namita Bhan, co-first author adds:" This is a really exciting proof of concept for methods that could one day allow us to study the interactions between millions of cells simultaneously.

"

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