Synthetic DNA–metal hybrid materials for information-preserving genetic storage

Abstract

The rapid expansion of genomic data is driving an imminent storage crisis that traditional silicon-based technologies, limited by density and durability, cannot adequately address. This perspective highlights DNA–metal hybrid materials as an innovative class of bioinorganic composites poised to overcome these challenges. By combining the unmatched information density of nucleic acids with the remarkable stability and distinctive physicochemical traits of metals, these hybrids offer the potential for secure, long-term genetic information storage spanning millennia, alongside programmable access and multi-layered encoding capabilities. We provide a forward-looking overview of emerging synthetic strategies, key characterization challenges, and theoretical performance limits, emphasizing environmental robustness and complex performance metrics. Potential transformative applications are discussed, including enduring evolutionary archives, cultural heritage preservation, and interstellar data transmission, framed within the broader historical and future landscape of information storage technologies. This perspective lays out the fundamental principles and developmental pathways toward ultra-stable, high-density molecular repositories that could ultimately become humanity's lasting genetic legacy.