Bioencryption can store almost a million gigabytes of data inside bacteria

An interesting article about a new method of data storage , utilizing E.Coli bacteria .

A new method of data storage that converts information into DNA sequences allows you to store the contents of an entire computer hard-drive on a gram's worth of E. coli bacteria...and perhaps considerably more than that.

In a presentation on their breakthrough, the Hong Kong researchers showed how to change the word "iGEM" into DNA-ready code. They used the ASCII table to convert each of the individual letters into a numerical value (i=105, G=71, etc.), which can then be changed from base-10 to base-4 (105=1221, 71=0113, etc.). Finally, those numbers can be changed into their DNA base equivalents, with 0, 1, 2, and 3 replaced with A, T, C, and G. And so iGEM becomes ATCTATTGATTTATGT.

Those are only a few paragraphs from the article , if you are interested go read the full thing

Link to article : io9.com...

Now I wonder , if we start using bacteria to store data , does that mean that we will have to rethink the way computer viruses will work , and does that mean that antibiotics will become the new computer threat ?

That reminds me of the book GOD Code. Isn't DNA already a coded sequence that we are yet to decode? And isn't the so called junk part of DNA's code similar to languages? I think I read that it contains a huge library worth of coded messages, that hasn't been decoded yet.

Great topic! Thx!

yeah, Just think of all the data stored within our bodies,
not to mention our actual 'essence'.

It reminds me of "the god code" also.

thanks

reply to post by ptahotep76


Yeah I'd like to know more about the topic. Maybe you should start a new thread on the subject.

I'm referring to the matter of our "junk" DNA & what it is.

reply to post by Thill


You may be interested to know that some companies are already using DNA in their computer components, for example A-Data uses a DNA signature on it memory RAM chips for anti-counterfeiting purposes:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/5c7d1b2f825d.jpg[/atsimg]

What worries me is if the e-coli get attacked by a virus, your data will get messed up:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/97a90579d53a.jpg[/atsimg]

That's a real bacteria killing virus by the way, a bacteriophage t4

man, I feel stupid when I hear things like this. how the hell does bacteria store information

This is pretty awesome! How can the bacteria be kept alive though? Won't it eventually die?

reply to post by Etherea1


It works the same basic way in how our DNA stores our genetic information. Machinery is in many ways just a different form of Organics.