Encoding of non-biological information for its long-term storage in DNA.

In 2019, at the World Economic Forum, DNA data storage was indicated as one of the breakthroughs expected to radically impact the global socio-economic order. Indeed, dry DNA is a relatively stable substance and an extremely capacious information carrier. One gram of DNA can hold up to 455 exabytes, provided that one nucleotide encodes two bits of information. In this critical review, the main attention is paid to nucleinography, meaning the conversion of digital data into nucleotide sequences. The evolution and diversity of approaches intended for encoding data with nucleotides are demonstrated. The most noticeable examples of storing minor as well as considerable quantities of non-biological information in DNA are given. Some issues of DNA data storage are also reported.

Convective polymerase chain reaction in standard microtubes.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the most widely used method for nucleic acids amplification. To date, a huge number of versatile PCR techniques have been developed. One of the relevant goals is to shorten PCR duration, which can be achieved in several ways. Here, we report on the results regarding nucleic acids amplification by convective PCR (cPCR) in standard 0.2 ml polypropylene microtubes. The following conditions were found to be optimal for such amplification: 1) 70 µl reaction volume, 2) the supply of external temperature 145°Ð¡ for the denaturation zone and 0°Ð¡ for the annealing zone, 3) ∼30° inclination of the microtube main axis, 4) the use of nearby primers, and 5) duration of the reaction 15-20 min. At these conditions, the amplification products are accumulated in an amount sufficient to be registered by gel electrophoresis, and high sensitivity of the reaction comparable to that of conventional PCR is achieved. cPCR provided the reliable detection of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus RNA isolated from nasopharyngeal swabs of COVID-19 patients.