Gif and image written into the DNA of bacteria
bbc/news/science-environment
Below is the abstract of the original paper:[acquired through link in above webpage]
DNA is an excellent medium for archiving data. Recent efforts
have illustrated the potential for information storage in DNA
using synthesized oligonucleotides assembled in vitro
relatively unexplored avenue of information storage in DNA is
the ability to write information into the genome of a living cell
by the addition of nucleotides over time. Using the Cas1–Cas2
integrase, the CRISPR–Cas microbial immune system stores
the nucleotide content of invading viruses to confer adaptive
immunity. When harnessed, this system has the potential to
write arbitrary information into the genome.
Here we use the CRISPR–Cas system to encode the pixel values of black and white
images and a short movie into the genomes of a population of
living bacteria. In doing so, we push the technical limits of this
information storage system and optimize strategies to minimize
those limitations. We also uncover underlying principles of the
CRISPR–Cas adaptation system, including sequence determinants
of spacer acquisition that are relevant for understanding both
the basic biology of bacterial adaptation and its technological
applications. This work demonstrates that this system can capture
and stably store practical amounts of real data within the genomes
of populations of living cells.