Human DNA and synthetic DNA poster

Human DNA and synthetic DNA poster. Human DNA (top) and FANA (bottom). In the synthetic DNA the deoxyribose sugar has been replaced with 2-fluoroarabinose. Other replacements can include arabinose; anhydrohexitol; threose and cyclohexene. Synthetic DNA may have a use for long-range data storage. Researchers have converted digital files into trits -- a triplet code comprising zero, one and two -- instead of the usual binary code. Then they translated that code into one made of As, Cs, Gs and Ts, the “letters” of DNA. Scientists then read the code and used it to build millions and millions of DNA molecules. These molecules stored the data which was then retrieved and found to be without error. Time and cost would probably prevent this from becoming the new hard drive for your computer. Scientist predict that for long term storage, when the method is perfected, it would be possible to store all of the books in the Library of Congress in a strand of DNA that would fit in a coffee cup. Properly stored, that strand could last a few million years. From left clockwise: ANA, FANA, CeNA and HNA. Colour key: black=carbon, white=hydrogen, red=oxygen, blue=nitrogen, orange=phosphorus and green=fluorine