Theoretical aspects of biocomputing

就像我们用字母表中的字母来写文字，用0和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）来作为DNA链来书写遗传信息。在DNA上编码符号信息的可能性，以及诸如DNA链的剪切和粘贴等生化过程可用于执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存储和操作DNA链数据的新方法。事实上，生物信息和生物计算在几个方面与电子计算不同。首先，生物数据与存储位置无关，而是由在溶液中自由漂浮的无穷小的DNA链组成。其次，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链的数据通常有数百万个相同的副本，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.