Discover the cutting-edge advancements in DNA synthesis with the DiDAX project, focusing on the photochemical synthesis of composite and trimer DNA libraries. By utilizing composite DNA, which involves the random coupling of two or more DNA nucleobase monomers at defined ratios during synthesis, we significantly increase the information content per nucleotide. This innovative approach leverages molecular-level sequence redundancy, akin to using extended DNA alphabets, and paves the way for large-scale synthesis.
Our project will rigorously evaluate the incorporation ratios of premixed versus on-the-fly mixes of phosphoramidites to determine the optimal conditions for multiple ratios of DNA monomers. This assessment will consider synthesis efficiency and error distribution, ensuring robust and accurate DNA libraries. Additionally, we are pioneering the use of trimer phosphoramidites, which couple one full codon at a time during synthesis. This method offers distinct advantages for information storage and supports the creation of novel synthesis strategies, such as binary codes of trimers with balanced CG/TA ratios.
The DiDAX project’s trimer synthesis strategy is set to achieve a remarkable logical density of over 9 bits per cycle, far exceeding the current state-of-the-art.