Biopolymers are an attractive alternative to store and circulate information. DNA, for example, combines remarkable longevity with high data storage densities and has been demonstrated as a means for preserving digital information. Inspired by the dynamic, biological regulation of (epi)genetic information, we herein present how binary data can undergo controlled changes when encoded in synthetic DNA strands. By exploiting differential kinetics of hydrolytic deamination reactions of cytosine and its naturally occurring derivatives, we demonstrate how multiple layers of information can be stored in a single DNA template. Moreover, we show that controlled redox reactions allow for interconversion of these DNA-encoded layers of information. Overall, such interlacing of multiple messages on synthetic DNA libraries showcases the potential of chemical reactions to manipulate digital information on (bio)polymers.C.M. is grateful for the financial support by the Swiss National
Science Foundation (grant number P2EZP2_152216). G.R.M.
was supported by funding from Trinity College, Cambridge,
the Herchel Smith fund and the Wellcome Trust. P.M. was
funded by the Wellcome Trust and is currently supported by
an ERC Advanced grant. P.V.D was funded by the Wellcome
Trust and a Marie Curie Fellow of the European Union (grant number FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IEF/624885). The S.B. lab is
supported by a program grant and core funding from
Cancer Research UK (C9681/A18618), an ERC Advanced
grant (339778) and by a Senior Investigator Award of the
Wellcome Trust (099232/Z/12/Z). We thank Eun-Ang Raiber
and Dario Beraldi for stimulating discussions and proofreading
the manuscript.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Wiley at http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/anie.201605531
