DNA-based advanced logic circuits for nonarithmetic information processing

DNA has been used as a building block to construct a series of complex logic circuits to perform nonarithmetic functions, including a multiplexer, demultiplexer, encoder and decoder. This is the first time that DNA has been used to cover this broad range of logic circuits, demonstrating the versatility and power of DNA computation to process information on the molecular level. The above logic circuits all share the same DNA platform, indicating the great prospects for DNA computation. The enzyme-free system developed here provides a novel prototype for the design of DNA-based, high-level molecular logic circuits. Considering its biocompatibility, DNA computation could find potential applications in biological and biomedical fields in the not-too-distant future. Using DNA as a building block, researchers in China and the USA have built complex logic circuits that can perform non-arithmetic functions. The circuits include a multiplexer, a demultiplexer, an encoder and a decoder. The researchers say it is the first time that DNA has been used to make such a broad range of logic circuits. Despite their diverse functions, all the circuits share the same DNA platform and threshold set point, and thus bring DNA computation a step closer to realization. Furthermore, the biocompatibility of the circuits makes them suitable for applications in biomedical sensing, genetic engineering, intelligent diagnosis and on-demand drug delivery. The enzyme-free circuits simultaneously demonstrate the versatility and power of DNA computation to process information on a molecular level and provide a prototype for designing DNA-based high-level molecular logic circuits. Taking advantage of DNA hybridization, we fabricated a series of nonarithmetic logic circuits on a simple and universal molecular beacon platform, including multiplexer, demultiplexer, encoder and decoder. Multiple fluorescence outputs were generated in parallel on the same set of inputs. The advantages of the enzyme-free DNA systems here include high flexibility, reconfigurability, massive parallelism and scalability, offering an opportunity to construct multi-component devices on a single biomolecular platform.