A Korean research team has developed a technology that synthesizes desired deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequences using only temperature control, without repeatedly adding chemical reagents. It is seen as an approach that can reduce the limitations of conventional DNA synthesis methods that have relied on complex equipment and processes.
A team led by Professor Choi Young-jae at the KAIST Graduate School of Convergence Biosciences said on the 7th that, in collaboration with ATG Life Tech Co., Ltd. and a team led by Professor Choi Han-sol in the Department of Life Sciences at Ewha Womans University, it developed a platform technology that synthesizes DNA sequences using only temperature changes. The results were published on the 2nd (local time) in the international journal Nature Communications.
DNA is a material that carries the genetic information of living organisms and is used in various bio fields, including disease diagnosis, new drug development, and Synthetic Biology research. However, conventional DNA synthesis had to repeat the process of adding and washing away chemical reagents while consolidating the four bases (A·T·G·C) in order. As a result, there was a constraint that required expensive automated synthesizers and specialized facilities.
To solve this problem, the team designed "hairpin DNA" that reacts only at specific temperatures. Hairpin DNA forms a folded structure like a hairpin and then unfolds and reacts at a set temperature. The team placed multiple types of hairpin DNA that operate at different temperatures in a single test tube and synthesized the desired DNA sequence by changing the temperature in order.
While the conventional method controlled reactions by replacing reagents at each synthesis step, this technology lets temperature play that role. With the necessary materials placed in a single test tube from the start, only the temperature conditions are changed so that DNA is formed sequentially. The team showed that DNA synthesis may be possible with standard temperature control devices without large-scale equipment.
To verify the technology's applicability, the team also implemented a "DNA temperature black box." Stored in a lyophilized state and activated by adding water just before use, the device records in the DNA sequence when and in what order temperatures changed during shipping. If exposed to a certain temperature or higher, it can also indicate abnormalities through a color change.
This technology can be used in the distribution of products where temperature control is critical, such as vaccines, biopharmaceuticals, cell therapies, and fresh foods. Because it can record temperature histories without a separate power source, its applications are expected to be broad in cold-chain quality management.
Professor Choi Young-jae said, "This study presents the principle that the DNA synthesis process can be controlled by temperature rather than chemical reagents," adding, "It could lower DNA synthesis expense and dependence on equipment and lead to new applied technologies such as temperature recording devices."
References
Nature Communications (2026), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-74890-4