Electrical control of a metal-mediated DNA memory

Abstract

We demonstrate that a single DNA duplex that is designed to allow binding to specific metal ions (Hg²⁺/Ag⁺) and <3 nm in length can function as a fully electronic multi-bit memory system (+1, 0, −1). The system is reversible, allowing digital information to be electrically written, read, and erased in a solid-state, chip-based platform. This demonstrates a method that can enable DNA-based systems to be integrated with conventional electronics at scale and to electrically control chemical reactions that allow the electronic structure within the DNA to be modified to store information.