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Encyclopedia of Complexity and Systems Science pp 2089–2104Cite as

DNA Computing

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Definition of the Subject

DNA computing (or, more generally, biomolecular computing) is a relatively new field of study that is concerned with the use of biologicalmolecules as fundamental components of computing devices. It draws on concepts and expertise from fields as diverse as chemistry, computer science,molecular biology, physics and mathematics. Although its theoretical history dates back to the late 1950s, the notion of computing with molecules was onlyphysically realized in 1994, when Leonard Adleman demonstrated in the laboratory the solution of a small instance of a well‐known problemin combinatorics using standard tools of molecular biology. Since this initial experiment, interest in DNA computing has increased dramatically, and it isnow a well‐established area of research. As we expand our understanding of how biological and chemical systems process information,opportunities arise for new applications of molecular devices in bioinformatics, nanotechnology, engineering, the...

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Abbreviations

DNA:

Deoxyribonucleic acid. Molecule that encodes the genetic information of cellular organisms.

Enzyme:

Protein that catalyzes a biochemical reaction.

Nanotechnology:

Branch of science and engineering dedicated to the construction of artifacts and devices at the nanometer scale.

RNA:

Ribonucleic acid. Molecule similar to DNA, which helps in the conversion of genetic information to proteins.

Satisfiability (SAT):

Problem in complexity theory. An instance of the problem is defined by a Boolean expression with a number of variables, and the problem is to identify a set of variable assignments that makes the whole expression true.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK

    Martyn Amos

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  1. Martyn Amos
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. RAMTECH LIMITED, 122 Escalle Lane, Larkspur, CA, 94939, USA

    Robert A. Meyers Ph. D. (Editor-in-Chief) (Editor-in-Chief)

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© 2009 Springer-Verlag

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Amos, M. (2009). DNA Computing. In: Meyers, R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Complexity and Systems Science. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-30440-3_131

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