Trends to store digital data in DNA: an overview

Abstract

There has been an ascending growth in the capacity of information being generated. The increased production of data in turn has put forward other challenges as well thus, and there is the need to store this information and not only to store it but also to retain it for a prolonged time period. The reliance on DNA as a dense storage medium with high storage capacity and its ability to withstand extreme environmental conditions has increased over the past few years. There have been developments in reading and writing different forms of data on DNA, codes for encrypting data and using DNA as a way of secret writing leading towards new styles like stenography and cryptography. The article outlines different methods adopted for storing digital data on DNA with pros and cons of each method that has been applied plus the advantages and limitations of using DNA as a storage medium.