Halvorsen, Kenneth AWong, Wesley2013-03-182012Halvorsen, Ken, and Wesley P. Wong. 2012. Binary DNA nanostructures for data encryption. PLoS ONE 7(9): e44212.1932-6203http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:10436303We present a simple and secure system for encrypting and decrypting information using DNA self-assembly. Binary data is encoded in the geometry of DNA nanostructures with two distinct conformations. Removing or leaving out a single component reduces these structures to an encrypted solution of ssDNA, whereas adding back this missing “decryption key” causes the spontaneous formation of the message through self-assembly, enabling rapid read out via gel electrophoresis. Applications include authentication, secure messaging, and barcoding.en-USBiologyBiochemistryNucleic AcidsDNABiophysicsBiotechnologyBionanotechnologyMolecular Cell BiologyComputer ScienceCryptographyMaterials ScienceNanotechnologyNanomaterialsProgrammable MatterPhysicsMacromolecular AssembliesJournal Article2013-03-1810.1371/journal.pone.0044212