DNA Framework-Encoded Digital Recorder for Bacterial Discrimination.

Area of Science:

• Synthetic Biology
• Molecular Diagnostics
• Biomolecular Engineering

Background:

• Simultaneous detection of multiple biomolecular signals is crucial for diagnostics and environmental monitoring.
• Current methods face challenges in multichannel enumeration within a single unit.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel system for high-resolution, multiplexed molecular signal recording.
• To enable site-specific discrimination of multiple nucleic acid sequences using a uniform reporter.

Main Methods:

• Development of a DNA framework-based positional encoding system (DNA Framework Digital Recorder - DFDR).
• Functionalization of a triangular DNA framework with orthogonal probes targeting distinct DNA sequences.
• Demonstration of sequential and rewritable signal recording through temporal control of DNA strand inputs.

Main Results:

• A single DFDR unit resolved 18 nucleic acid targets simultaneously, exceeding conventional systems by 6-fold.
• Successful discrimination of 16S rRNA from clinically relevant respiratory pathogens.
• Validation of bacterial identification in real-world hospital and river water samples.

Conclusions:

• The DFDR system provides a versatile platform for high-resolution tracking of multiplexed molecular information.
• This technology has broad implications for synthetic biology, diagnostics, and information storage.
• Enables accurate diagnosis of coinfections and environmental monitoring.