The invention is directed to systems and methods of recording digital information using nucleic acids.
A DNA template strand has alpha and beta segments, each with a set of three nucleotides differing from each other. When
a DNA polymerase contacts the template in the presence of a first solution of three nucleotides corresponding to an alpha segment, a new strand is extended according to available base
pairing. The extension halts when the
polymerase encounters a beta strand, as the first solution lacks a base-
pairing nucleotide triphosphate. Similarly, when the
polymerase is provided with a second solution of three nucleotides corresponding to the beta segment, the new strand continues extension according to available base
pairing. As first and second solutions are alternated, chemically-altered
nucleotide triphosphates are introduced, providing mutations in certain segments of the new strand. When sequenced,
mutation segments are assigned a '1' and non-
mutation segments are assigned a 'O'.