Mobile and Self-Sustained Data Storage in an Extremophile Genomic DNA

DNA has been pursued as a novel biomaterial for digital data storage. While large-scale data storage and random access have been achieved in DNA oligonucleotide pools, repeated data accessing requires constant data replenishment, and these implementations are confined in professional facilities. Here, a mobile data storage system in the genome of the extremophile Halomonas bluephagenesis, which enables dual-mode storage, dynamic data maintenance, rapid readout, and robust recovery. The system relies on two key components: A versatile genetic toolbox for the integration of 10-100 kb scale synthetic DNA into H. bluephagenesis genome and an efficient error correction coding scheme targeting noisy nanopore sequencing reads. The storage and repeated retrieval of 5 KB data under non-laboratory conditions are demonstrated. The work highlights the potential of DNA data storage in domestic and field scenarios, and expands its application domain from archival data to frequently accessed data.