Scientists Develop DNA Analog Circuit Which Performs Mathematical Calculations In A Test Tube

DNA, which is also referred to as the blueprint of life, is what makes human beings different from each other and other animal species. In a major breakthrough, some researchers have used the letters of the genetic code to develop a DNA-based circuit which performs mathematical calculations.

A team of researchers from the Duke University, led by Professor John Reif, have reportedly developed synthetic DNA strands that can form an analog circuit when mixed together in right proportion in a test tube. The analog circuit is capable of performing arithmetical calculations such as addition, subtraction and multiplication when the DNA strands break or form bonds, reported Phys.org.

Unlike other digital DNA-based circuits which solve math problems by encoding the information in a sequence of zeroes and ones, the new device performs calculations in an analog fashion by measuring the different concentrations of DNA molecules directly, without convert the information to zeroes and ones. In fact, instead of voltage, the device uses concentration of specific DNA strands as signals. The research team have explained about the new DNA based circuit in the journal ACS Synthetic Biology.

Reif acknowledged that the newly developed DNA circuits are still way behind in terms of commercial application as compared to the currently used silicon-based circuits. One of the main reasons is that test tube calculations are extremely slow and it take long hours to find an answer. Although, the DNA circuits are far tinier than the silicon based circuits, they are suitable for use in wet environments. This means that they might be used as DNA calculators in future for computing inside the bloodstream or cells, reported TechTimes.

The researchers are hoping that devices based on DNA circuits could be programmed in the coming days to check if blood chemicals are within the range of values considered normal as well as to release a specific DNA or RNA for treatment.