End to End Rewritable DNA Data Storage

As the field of DNA data storage advances toward commercialization, the high cost and slow turnaround time of DNA synthesis remain critical bottlenecks. Moreover, for DNA storage systems to become comparable to silicon-based memory, they must enable multiple read–write cycles rather than operate as read-once archives. This chapter focuses on a new frontier: rewritable DNA data storage systems integrated with end-to-end hardware solutions. It explores how specially engineered enzymes, whose activity can be modulated by physical stimuli such as light, temperature, or electric fields, enable controlled, reversible modifications to DNA strands, in order to encode data. It also discusses the design of microfluidic and nanofluidic systems to automate encoding, editing, and retrieval workflows, thus reducing human intervention and operational cost. The chapter aims to present a technical and strategic overview of how rewritable DNA systems, coupled with integrated hardware, could lower the barriers to widespread adoption of DNA-based storage technologies.