Biological computers have emerged as an interdisciplinary field
that draws together molecular biology, chemistry, computer science and
mathematics.
A 'DNA computer' has been used for the
first time to find the only correct answer from over a million possible
solutions to a computational problem. Leonard Adleman of the University of
Southern California in the US and colleagues used different strands of DNA to
represent the 20 variables in their problem, which could be the most complex
task ever solved without a conventional computer. The researchers believe that
the complexity of the structure of biological molecules could allow DNA
computers to outperform their electronic counterparts in future.
Scientists
have previously used DNA computers to crack computational problems with up to
nine variables, which involves selecting the correct answer from 512 possible
solutions. But now Adleman's team has shown that a similar technique can solve
a problem with 20 variables, which has 220 - or 1 048 576 - possible solutions.
In previous Biological computers produced input, output and "software" are all composed of DNA, the material of genes, while DNA-manipulating enzymes are used as "hardware." The newest version's input apparatus is designed to assess concentrations of specific RNA molecules, which may be overproduced or under produced, depending on the type of cancer. Using pre-programmed medical knowledge, the computer then makes its diagnosis based on the detected RNA levels.In response to a cancer diagnosis, the output unit of the computer can initiate the controlled release of a single-stranded DNA molecule that is known to interfere with the cancer cell's activities, causing it to self-destruct.