DNA计算是生物传感领域的最新研究热点，可通过多输入（如识别靶标）给出信号，这种技术比检测单一组分更准确。现有的DNA计算使用多个独立的分子，它们靠在化学溶液中的自由扩散来反应，容易产生意外连接或发生错误反应，影响工作效率及产生错误计算。本项目由DNA四臂交叉结组成的DNA原胞机（DNA cellular automata, DCA）进行2D或3D阵列自组装形成DNA分子机器，实现纳米尺度下的信息储存、传递及处理。DNA链预先组装成一个大的复合物，计算在复合物内部发生，计算高速并减少错误发生。项目拟开展：（1）DCA设计和工作原理；（2）DCA构建各计算器件；（3）模块化组合常见线路模式，用作分子计算的模块。本项目构建在分子层面上能有效运行的算法，为设计新的分子计算机提供新的原理和策略，将应用于包括生物传感、纳米材料组装和 DNA 治疗机器人等领域，其涵盖了生物体内外诸多方面。

DNA computation is an active research area in biosensoring. It provides a way to integrate multiple inputs (such as sensing targets) for making decisions, for example, identifying cancer cells based on multiple biomarkers, which is much more reliable than judging by a single biomarker. DNA computing involves theory, modeling, and algorithms. However, in practice, synthetic DNA circuits have so far relied almost exclusively on interactions between diffusible components guided by chemical specificity in solutions. In particular, circuit operation is slow at experimentally realistic concentrations. Unintentional binding interactions between sequences degrade performance and increase with circuit size, leading to a lack of modularity in circuit design and execution. The diffusible components in solutions freely collide with each other and result in unintended reactions. To avoid the unintended interactions and improve computing efficiency, we use DNA cellular automata (DCA）formed by DNA 4-arm junction to build DNA motor which integrates long-range transport and information. The dynamic DNA molecular 2D and 3D arrays generated by different DCA conformations exhibit transformations with programmable initiation, propagation, and regulation. The transformation of the array can be initiated at selected units and then propagated, without addition of extra triggers, to neighboring units and eventually the entire array. The present idea is to pre-organize all involved DCA elements together, and the circuit operation depends on spatial organization within the pre-organized complex. We will demonstrate the present work through (1) The design of DCA and its work mechanism; (2) The assembly of DNA wires and logic gates; (3) The DNA circuits for computing..DNA computing based on DCA may provide a path towards the delivery of DNA circuits in biological setting, such as inside of cells or inside of human bodies for diagnostic/therapeutic purposes.