Theoretical aspects of biocomputing

就像我们用字母表的字母来写文本，用第0位和第1位来写计算机机器代码一样，大自然用四个基本的DNA单位(腺嘌呤、鸟嘌呤、胞嘧啶、胸腺嘧啶)以DNA链的形式写入遗传信息。对DNA上的符号信息进行编码的可能性，以及DNA链的剪切和粘贴等生化过程可以用于进行算术和逻辑运算的事实，导致了DNA计算领域的发展。我研究的主要目标是分析这种在DNA链上存储和操作数据的新方法。事实上，生物信息和生物计算在几个方面不同于电子信息和生物计算。首先，生物数据与存储位置无关，而是由无限小的DNA链自由漂浮在溶液中组成。第二，与电子计算机不同，编码数据的DNA链可以以非编程的方式相互作用。第三，每个编码DNA链的数据通常以数百万个相同的副本存在，生物操作根据统计规律进行。

In the same way we use letters of the alphabet to write text, and bits 0 and 1 to write computer machine code, the four basic DNA units(adenine,guanine,cytosine,thymine) are used by Nature to write genetic information as DNA strands. The possibility of encoding symbolic information on DNA, and the fact that biochemical processes such as cut-and-paste of DNA strands can be used to perform arithmetic and logic operations,led to the development of the field of DNA computing. The primary goal of my research is to analyze this new way of storing and manipulating data on DNA strands. Indeed, bioinformation and biocomputation are different from their electronic counterparts in several aspects. First, biodata is not associated to a memory location but consists of infinitesimal DNA strands free-floating in solution. Second, in contrast to the electronic computer, data-encoding DNA strands can interact with each other in un-programmed ways. Third, each data encoding DNA strand is usually present in millions of identical copies and the bio-operations operate according to statistical laws.