DNA Data Storage Architecture via Ligation of Dynamic DNA Bytes

The explosive growth of digital data is overwhelming conventional storage media, creating an urgent need for more efficient solutions. DNA, with its ultra-high density and long-term stability, emerges as a promising medium; however, most current implementations remain static and archival, limiting practical utility. To address this limitation, a modular DNA data storage system built upon dynamic DNA bytes (DynaBytes)-pre-fabricated DNA segments that can be ligated into reconfigurable information units-is presented. Within this DynaByte system, core, functional, and control DynaBytes are organized to implement a molecular file system, enabling the storage of 210,776 bits (26,347 bytes) of digital information with demonstrated CRUD (Create-Read-Update-Delete)-like operations, hierarchical access, and nanopore-based real-time retrieval. Robust data recovery is achieved under ∼100x error-prone sequencing through streamlined error correction and fuzzy decoding. By relying on in vitro ligation of standardized components, the DynaByte system reduces cost, scales efficiently, and supports interactive, rewritable data storage. These features advance DNA storage beyond passive archiving toward a reconfigurable framework, opening new possibilities for dynamic, practical, and large-scale DNA-based data systems.

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Publication Details

Journal
Small Methods
Published
2026-03-31
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/smtd.202502001
Primary Topic
DNA and Biological Computing
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

DNA Data Storage Architecture via Ligation of Dynamic DNA Bytes

Fengqian Chen, Shangzhe Li, Mancang Zhang, Bin Duan et al.
Small Methods
DNA and Biological Computing
article

DNA Data Storage Architecture via Ligation of Dynamic DNA Bytes

Fengqian Chen, Shangzhe Li, Mancang Zhang, Bin Duan, Lijia Jia, Huaiyi Yang, Dongbo Bu, Quanshun Li, Di Liu, Wei Li, Xiaolin Wang, Yifei Zhang, Haizhou Liu, Yongyong Shi, Wenjing Yang, Lin Li, Yue Shi, Jing Yang
article en

Abstract

The explosive growth of digital data is overwhelming conventional storage media, creating an urgent need for more efficient solutions. DNA, with its ultra-high density and long-term stability, emerges as a promising medium; however, most current implementations remain static and archival, limiting practical utility. To address this limitation, a modular DNA data storage system built upon dynamic DNA bytes (DynaBytes)-pre-fabricated DNA segments that can be ligated into reconfigurable information units-is presented. Within this DynaByte system, core, functional, and control DynaBytes are organized to implement a molecular file system, enabling the storage of 210,776 bits (26,347 bytes) of digital information with demonstrated CRUD (Create-Read-Update-Delete)-like operations, hierarchical access, and nanopore-based real-time retrieval. Robust data recovery is achieved under ∼100x error-prone sequencing through streamlined error correction and fuzzy decoding. By relying on in vitro ligation of standardized components, the DynaByte system reduces cost, scales efficiently, and supports interactive, rewritable data storage. These features advance DNA storage beyond passive archiving toward a reconfigurable framework, opening new possibilities for dynamic, practical, and large-scale DNA-based data systems.

Small Methods
Hunan University of Science and Technology (CN), Shanghai Jiao Tong University (CN), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN), Peking University (CN), Beijing Institute of Genomics (CN), Institute of Computing Technology (CN), Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (CN), Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences (CN), Wuhan Institute of Virology (CN), Next Generation Technology (United States) (US), Institute of Microbiology (CN), Sanya University (CN), Institute of Mechanics (CN), Ministry of Education (KN), Shanghai Center For Bioinformation Technology (CN), University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN), Chongqing University of Technology (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China, National Key Research and Development Program of China
Openalex Percentile: Top 35%
DNA and Biological Computing
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