Physics-Based Control Over de novo Synthesis of DNA or RNA

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Biological Technologies Office (BTO) seeks to gain a better understanding of biotechnological advancements and gaps that could contribute to the ability to synthesize de novo DNA and RNA sequences in vivo. The goal of this RFI is to gather information on the possibility and challenges in developing a platform for in vivo (i.e., in a living cell) synthesis of DNA/RNA, where the nucleic acid sequence is precisely defined by patterns of physical stimulation (i.e., optical, mechanical, sound, electrical, thermal, etc.) rather than using a DNA/RNA template strand. The ultimate aim is for this template-free, de novo synthesis (i.e., capable of producing arbitrary sequences that may not be based on natural sequences) mechanism to produce DNA/RNA that can be translated into functional proteins.