American scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have created an artificial analogue of amber that can be used for long-term storage of information in the form of DNA, whether genomes of living organisms or digital files. The study was published in the scientific journal broadcasting Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS).
DNA offers a way to store digital information at very high densities: In theory, a coffee mug filled with DNA could contain all the world’s data. DNA is also very stable and relatively easy to synthesize and sequence.
According to the authors of the discovery, they were inspired by Steven Spielberg’s famous science fiction movie “Jurassic Park,” in which scientists managed to revive dinosaurs from drops of blood inside mosquitoes frozen in amber.
Since most current DNA storage methods require low temperatures, they consume a lot of energy and are not feasible in many parts of the world.
In contrast, the amber-like polymer can store DNA at room temperature, protecting the molecules from damage caused by heat or water.
This substance consists of styrene and a crosslinking agent, which together form crosslinked polystyrene, a thermosetting material. It repels moisture well and can withstand heat up to 75°C, but can also be decomposed by cysteamine molecules.
The researchers showed that they could use this polymer to store DNA sequences that code for the Jurassic Park theme song and the entire human genome. They also showed that DNA could be easily removed without damaging the polymer.
Russian scientists before developed A method of verifying the authenticity of amber.
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Source: Gazeta
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