Use of Living Cells to Carry Out Computations

A deep study by scientists developed Living Computers in which RNA Circuits can transform cells into nano-devices. Scientists have showed how living cells can be induced to do computations in the form of tiny robots or computers. Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) is used to develop logic circuits.

The interdisciplinary point of biology and engineering is known as synthetic biology which has opened a new window that can’t be imagined a short time ago. Alex Green, a professor at ASU’s Bio-design Institute and his colleagues has incorporated RNA logic gates into living bacterial cells which performed like tiny computers. Study results are really important for intelligent drug design and smart drug delivery, green energy production, low-cost diagnostic technologies and the development of futuristic nano-machines. These are capable of capturing cancer cells or turning down aberrant genes.

Green said that they are using very predictable and programmable RNA-RNA interactions to inform what these circuits can do. It also meant that use of computer software can be done to design RNA sequences that acts the way we want them to in a cell. 

By: Bhavna Sharma

Content: www.sciencedaily.com