Connecting DNA Logic Gates in Computational Circuits

DNA computers could operate in a point-of-care diagnostic tests by recognizing and autonomously analyzing complex combinations of biochemical disease markers, which would facilitate medical diagnostics, and make it more accurate and affordable. In addition,such computers would help building molecular robots – nanometer-scale devices that can sense biological markers inside human body to diagnose a disorder and promptly fix a it. DNA is an attractive material for constructing computational devices due to parallel data processing capabilities and predictability of Watson–Crick base pairing. This chapter concerns the problem of integrating separate DNA logic gates into long chains of communicating gates with the emphasis on deoxyribozyme logic gates; strand displacement logic gates, and DNA logic gates connected via four-way junctions. Most common problems on the way towards creating long chains of communicating DNA logic gates are discussed.