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Related Concept Videos

DNA as a Genetic Template02:05

DNA as a Genetic Template

Two structural features of the DNA molecule provide a basis for the mechanisms of heredity: the four nucleotide bases and its double-stranded nature. The Watson-Crick model of double-helical DNA structure, proposed in 1952, drew heavily upon the X-ray crystallography work of researchers Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins. Watson, Crick, and Wilkins jointly received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work in 1962. Franklin was, controversially, excluded from the prize for...
DNA as a Genetic Template02:05

DNA as a Genetic Template

Two structural features of the DNA molecule provide a basis for the mechanisms of heredity: the four nucleotide bases and its double-stranded nature. The Watson-Crick model of double-helical DNA structure, proposed in 1952, drew heavily upon the X-ray crystallography work of researchers Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins. Watson, Crick, and Wilkins jointly received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work in 1962. Franklin was, controversially, excluded from the prize for...
Overview of DNA Repair02:25

Overview of DNA Repair

In order to be passed through generations, genomic DNA must be undamaged and error-free. However, every day, DNA in a cell undergoes several thousand to a million damaging events by natural causes and external factors. Ionizing radiation such as UV rays, free radicals produced during cellular respiration, and hydrolytic damage from metabolic reactions can alter the structure of DNA. Damages caused include single-base alteration, base dimerization, chain breaks, and cross-linkage.
Chemically...
Translesion DNA Polymerases02:10

Translesion DNA Polymerases

Translesion (TLS) polymerases rescue stalled DNA polymerases at sites of damaged bases by replacing the replicative polymerase and installing a nucleotide across the damaged site. Doing so, TLS allows additional time for the cell to repair the damage before resuming regular DNA replication.
TLS polymerases are found in all three domains of life - archaea, bacteria, and eukaryotes. Of the different classes of TLS polymerases, members of the Y family are fitted with specialized structures that...
DNA Replication02:40

DNA Replication

DNA replication involves the separation of the two strands of the double helix, with each strand serving as a template from which the new complementary strand is copied.  After replication, each double-stranded DNA includes one parental or “old” strand and one “new” strand. This is known as semiconservative replication. The resulting DNA molecules have the same sequence and are divided equally into the two daughter cells.
Replication in Prokaryotes
DNA replication uses a large number of...
The Replisome03:01

The Replisome

DNA replication is carried out by a large complex of proteins that act in a coordinated matter to achieve high-fidelity DNA replication. Together this complex is known as the DNA replication machinery or the replisome.
The synthesis of the leading and lagging strands is a highly coordinated process. To explain this, the “Trombone model” was proposed by Bruce Alberts in 1980. The DNA loop formation starts when a primer is synthesized on the parent lagging strand. The loop grows with the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 9, 2026

DNA-Tethered RNA Polymerase for Programmable In vitro Transcription and Molecular Computation
09:26

DNA-Tethered RNA Polymerase for Programmable In vitro Transcription and Molecular Computation

Published on: December 29, 2021

ZAT-DNA enables DNA data storage with molecular-layer non-replicability.

Lifu Song1,2,3, Gaoli Wang1,2, Yifeng Wei4

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.

Nature Communications
|May 7, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

We developed ZAT-DNA, a novel DNA data storage method using unique base pairs to prevent unauthorized copying. This technology secures cryptographic keys and digital assets against replication.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 9, 2026

DNA-Tethered RNA Polymerase for Programmable In vitro Transcription and Molecular Computation
09:26

DNA-Tethered RNA Polymerase for Programmable In vitro Transcription and Molecular Computation

Published on: December 29, 2021

Area of Science:

  • Synthetic Biology
  • Biotechnology
  • Information Security

Background:

  • Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) offers high information density and longevity for data storage.
  • Easy amplification via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) enables unauthorized, low-cost replication of DNA data.
  • Existing DNA data storage methods lack inherent protection against unauthorized duplication.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce ZAT-DNA, a novel DNA data storage system preventing unauthorized replication.
  • To demonstrate ZAT-DNA's capability for secure storage and retrieval of cryptographic keys.
  • To present a hybrid architecture for secure storage of larger datasets and access control.

Main Methods:

  • Encoding information using patterns of canonical adenine and noncanonical 2-aminoadenine in ZAT-DNA.
  • Utilizing the inability of DNA polymerases to distinguish between adenine and 2-aminoadenine to erase patterns during amplification.
  • Validating ZAT-DNA through error-free encoding, storage, and nanopore retrieval of cryptographic keys.
  • Developing a hybrid 'Babel-DNA' architecture for co-encoding encrypted data with ZAT-DNA keys.

Main Results:

  • ZAT-DNA enforces molecular-layer non-replicability by erasing unique base-pairing patterns during polymerase amplification.
  • Successful error-free encoding, storage, and high-fidelity nanopore retrieval of 32-bit and 64-bit cryptographic keys.
  • Demonstrated prevention of polymerase-based copying for secure key storage and protection of non-fungible tokens.
  • The Babel-DNA architecture enables selective decryption of multiple encrypted datasets using non-replicable ZAT-DNA keys.

Conclusions:

  • ZAT-DNA provides intrinsic molecular-layer security against unauthorized replication, addressing a key limitation of DNA data storage.
  • The technology is validated for secure storage of cryptographic keys and protection of digital assets like NFTs.
  • The proposed Babel-DNA framework offers a practical solution for molecular access control, secure DNA databases, and scarce molecular tokens.