Primer-Disk-Enabled DNA Data Storage System with Index and Record-Many-Read-Many Features

DNA data storage has emerged as a promising information storage technology by encoding information down to base molecules. However, it remains a challenge to structure the DNA data with ease of recording, retrieving, and reading. Here, a primer-disk-enabled hierarchical DNA data storage system is introduced, which allows for the multiple immobilizations of DNA molecules and the generation of corresponding QR codes for retrieving. The primer disk is pre-engineered to present multiple primers, on which encoded DNA molecules with complementary primers can be covalently immobilized on demand via solid-phase PCR. Each DNA file can be retrieved by inkjet printing a fluorescent QR code. A primer disk with up to 10 primers is used. The results show that different DNA files can be subsequently stored on the disk. One can have readily access to the index via fluorescent QR codes and decode information after sequent imaging, convention, and recognition. To this end, the recorded DNA files can be randomly read via solid-phase PCR with sufficient copies of collected DNA for up to 20 reads. Together, this work provides a new DNA data storage system with index and record-many-read-many features, paving the way for the practical use of DNA data storage.