A tiny silicon chip could change how DNA is made. Generally, silicon chips are used as the backbones of computing, however, recently, a group of researchers from Harvard developed a chip that can create 64 different DNA sequences at the same time, each up to 39 nucleotides long. The chip uses small electric currents and water-based enzymes instead of the harsh chemicals used in common DNA-making methods.
The idea is simple. Electricity controls the conditions at different spots on the chip. This lets enzymes add DNA building blocks one by one. The team says this method could make DNA production cleaner and easier to scale. It could also help make DNA-writing tools smaller and more accessible in the future. The project reportedly involved Harvard, the Broad Institute, DNA Script, and POSTECH. Additionally, it had funding from IARPA, Horizon Europe, and Samsung Research.
The chip was not originally made for DNA. Researchers first designed it to record neuron activity. They later changed the surface electrodes and found that the same electric control could be used to guide DNA production. Essentially, Synthetic DNA is essential for diagnostics, genome engineering, and cancer research.
The technology could be useful in medical research, diagnostics, and synthetic biology. It could also help with DNA data storage. In one test, the researchers used the system to encode a short text message into DNA.
There is still a major hurdle, the chip can currently make only short DNA strands. The researchers need to improve the chemical process before the technology can produce longer strands at a larger scale. This is still an early step, but the idea is promising. A chip that writes DNA with electricity and water could make DNA production cleaner, smaller, and more flexible.