The world's first core technology for synthesizing desired DNA using only temperature, instead of chemical reagents, has been developed in Korea. The breakthrough opens a path to producing DNA without complex processes or expensive equipment, a development seen as significantly lowering the barrier to entry for drug development.
According to the scientific community Wednesday, a research team led by Professor Choi Young-jae of the Graduate School of Engineering Biology at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), together with research teams from ATG Lifetech and Ewha Womans University, developed a technology that synthesizes desired DNA sequences through temperature control alone.
Conventional DNA synthesis required repeatedly swapping chemical reagents each time the four bases that make up DNA (A, T, G, C) were connected one by one. This process made automatic DNA synthesis equipment costing hundreds of millions of won and specialized research facilities essential.
The research team solved this problem by using "hairpin DNA," which reacts only at specific temperatures. Hairpin DNA is a special DNA structure that folds like a hairpin and unfolds only at a certain temperature. By placing several types of hairpin DNA into a single test tube and then sequentially changing only the temperature with an ordinary temperature control device, desired DNA can now be synthesized without complex reagent swaps.
Along with this, the research team also implemented a "DNA temperature black box" that records temperature changes during delivery without a power source, in order to confirm the technology's potential applications. The device is stored in a freeze-dried state and operates when a single drop of water is added just before use. It then automatically records the history of temperature changes during delivery into a DNA sequence. In addition, it changes color when exposed to temperatures above a certain level, allowing abnormalities to be checked immediately, and is expected to be useful in cold-chain distribution management for vaccines, biopharmaceuticals, cell therapies, and fresh food.
KAIST said, "The greatest significance of this research is that it changed the 'method' of making DNA itself." The research team expects that the technology will reduce the cost and time of DNA synthesis, improving research accessibility across various biotech fields such as synthetic biology, genetic research, drug development, and precision medicine.
"This is the world's first core technology to present a new principle that DNA can be synthesized using only temperature instead of chemical reagents," Professor Choi Young-jae said. "By making DNA synthesis easier and more economical, we expect its use to expand not only to basic research but also to various industrial fields."
