Molecular data storage systems and methods

Abstract

A data storage system and method are provided, as well as systems and methods for fabrication, and writing and reading of data therein. The data storage system includes at least one population of molecular sequences including chains of basic molecular building-blocks, and defining at least one respective data-block encoding data in the data storage system. The data of the data-block is encoded in a sequence S=(π, π, . . . , π. . . , π, π) of encoded letters {π} associated with an alphabet Σ≡{σ}|, which are encoded according to the types of basic molecular building-blocks appearing at k respective location along storage segments of the molecular sequences of the population. The molecular sequences include a number Z of different types of basic molecular building-blocks {E}|, while the alphabet Σ has a size M strictly greater than the number Z of types of building-blocks. Each alphabet letter σis associated with a vector {P}|indicative of occurrences of basic molecular building-block Eof type n in the alphabet letter σ. Accordingly each encoded letter πat location k in the storage segments of molecular sequences of the data-block/population, is mapped to a corresponding alphabet letter σby determining a match between the occurrence of basic molecular building-blocks of different types at that locations k of the molecular sequences of the population, with the vector {P}|associated with the alphabet letter σ. In some implementations the component Pof the vector {P}associated with alphabet letter σis indicative of a probability that a basic molecular building-block Eof type n,≤n≤Z, appears at the location k of the storage segment of a molecular strand of the at least one population in case the letter πencoded at that location k corresponds to the alphabet letter σ.