How can digital data stored as DNA be manipulated?

Data can be encoded as DNA but are difficult to process thereafter. A new method enables operations to be performed on DNA-encoded data directly, without having to first translate them into their electronic equivalent. DNA can be used to reliably store a vast amount of digital data. However, retrieval or manipulation of specific data encoded in these molecules has hitherto been difficult. Now, researchers from the CNRS and the University of Tokyo have pioneered the application of a new method that harnesses enzymes, offering initial clues as to how these technical obstacles may be overcome. Their findings are reported in Nature , the 20 October 2022. Nature has indisputably invented the best solution for storing a massive amount of data: DNA.