Plant-based digital data storage: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 02:52, 9 January 2017

Revision as of 13:44, 12 January 2017

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== Initial experiments==

With the help of two Biotechnologists, they encoded a basic computer program in Python programming language into ''Nicotiana benthamiana''. They first encoded a “Hello World” computer program into a DNA code, synthesized it and cloned this Code DNA into a plasmid vector to be used further for transforming ''Nicotiana benthamiana'' plants.The encoded program was reconstructed from the resulting seedlings with 100% accuracy by showing “Hello World” on the computer screen. Their approach demonstrates that artificially encoded data can be stored and multiplied within plants without affecting their vigor and fertility, and it takes a step forward from storing data into a naked DNA molecule. It is inherent in progenies and authentically reproducible while the reduced metabolism of the seeds provides an additional protection for encoded DNA archives.

That was the first practical implication of utilizing a multi-cellular, eukaryotic organism for storing digital data in the world. It goes beyond plant genome manipulations for biotechnological research and plant breeding. It takes the advantage of multi-cellular organisms and serves to propagate the encoded information in daughter cells. The host organism is able to grow and multiply with the embedded information, and every cell of the organism contains a copy of the encoded information; therefore, it avoids the costs of synthetic production of multiple copies of the same encoded information. Moreover, in contrast to naked DNA, which can be affected by unfavorable environmental conditions like excessive temperature, desiccation/rehydration conditions and nucleases from the environment, DNA stored in a seed is protected against alterations and degradation over time without the need of any active maintenance. Insertion of short computer programs into plants could also serve to provide a detailed description of a given variety, since the need for such labeling has already been expressed.<ref name='Fister2'>Fister, K., Fister, I., Murovec, J., Bohanec, B. DNA labelling of varieties covered by patent protection: a new solution for managing intellectual property rights in the seed industry. Transgenic Research,Article in press, 2016.{{doi|10.1007/s11248-016-9981-1}}</ref>