DNA-based programmable gate arrays for general-purpose DNA computing
In recent years, electronic and photonic circuits have become more versatile, going from specialized to programmable. Now, researchers have developed a system called DNA Integrated Circuits (DICs) using DNA molecules. These DICs can be programmed for various computing tasks and have the potential for massive parallel processing.
The researchers used specific DNA strands as a signal to reliably create large-scale DICs with minimal signal loss and high accuracy. They demonstrated that a single DIC with 24 gates could be programmed to perform over 100 billion different tasks. To manage the random interactions of molecules, they designed DNA origami registers to control the flow of information between multiple DIC layers.
As an example, they built a DIC that could solve quadratic equations, showing the versatility of this technology. Additionally, they integrated a DIC with an analog-to-digital converter to detect disease-related molecules. This research represents a significant step toward general-purpose DNA computing
