What is Biological Computer?

• Biological Computers are computers which

use synthesized biological components to
store and manipulate data analogous to
processes in the human body.
• The result is small yet faster computer that
operates with great accuracy.
• Main biological component used in a
Biological Computer is :
 What is DNA?
• DNA Stands for DeOxyRiboNucleic Acid.
• A hereditary material found in almost all living
organisms.
• Located inside the nucleus of a cell.
• Helps in long term storage of information.
• Information in DNA is stored as a code made of four
chemical bases (A,T,G & C).
• Order & sequence of these bases determine the kind
of information stored.
 Structure of DNA
• The two strands of DNA
molecule are anti parallel
where each strand runs in
opposite direction
• Complementary base pairs
Adenine(A) &
Thymine(T)
Guanine(G) &
Cytosine(C).
• Two strands are held
together by weak hydrogen
bonds between the base
pairs.
Graphical Representation of Inherent Bonding Properties
of
DNA
 What is a DNA Computer?
DNA Computers are small, fast and
highly efficient computers which
includes the following properties:-

• Dense data storage.

• Massively parallel computation.
• Extraordinary energy efficiency.
 How Dense is the Data Storage?
• with bases spaced at 0.35 nm along
DNA, data density is over a million
Gbits/inch compared to 7 Gbits/inch
in typical high performance HDD.
• Check this out………..
 Some Facts…
 This image shows 1 gram of DNA
on a CD. The CD can hold 800 MB
of data.

 The 1 gram of DNA can hold about

1x1014 MB of data.

 The number of CDs required to

hold this amount of information,
lined up edge to edge, would circle
the Earth 375 times, and would
take 1630 centuries to listen to.
How Enormous is the Parallelism?

• A test tube of DNA can contain

trillions of strands. Each operation on
a test tube of DNA is carried out on
all strands in the tube in parallel !
• Check this out……. We Typically use
How Extraordinary is the Energy
Efficiency?
• Modern supercomputers only operate at 109 operations
per joule.
• Adleman figured his computer was running
2 x 1019 operations per joule.
 Adleman-
Inventor of Biological Computers

• His article released in 1994,described how

to use DNA to solve a well-known
mathematical problem, called the directed
Hamilton Path problem.
• Goal of the problem is to find the shortest
route between a number of cities, going
through each city only once. As you add
more cities to the problem, the problem
becomes more difficult.
 Steps in Adleman’s Experiment
 Strands of DNA represent the seven cities. In genes,
genetic coding is represented by the letters A, T, C
and G. Some sequence of these four letters
represented each city and possible flight path.
 These molecules are then mixed in a test tube, with
some of these DNA strands sticking together. A chain
of these strands represents a possible answer.
 Within a few seconds, all of the possible combinations
of DNA strands, which represent answers, are created
in the test tube.
 Adleman eliminates the wrong molecules through
chemical reactions, which leaves behind only the
flight paths that connect all seven cities.
 Extraction

Spooling the DNA with a metal

hook or similar device

Precipitation of more DNA

strands in alcohol

Formation of DNA strands.

 Hamilton Path Problem
(also known as the travelling salesperson problem)

Darwin

Perth Alice Spring Brisbane

Sydney

Melbourne

Is there any Hamiltonian path from Darwin to Alice Spring?

 Adleman’s Experiment (continued…)
• Encode each city with complementary base - vertex
molecules
Sydney - TTAAGG
Perth - AAAGGG
Melbourne - GATACT
Brisbane - CGGTGC
Alice Spring - CGTCCA
Darwin - CCGATG
Adleman’s Experiment (continued…)

• Encode all possible paths using the

complementary base – edge molecules
Sydney  Melbourne – AGGGAT
Melbourne  Sydney – ACTTTA
Melbourne  Perth – ACTGGG
etc…
Adleman’s Experiment (continued…)

• Merge vertex molecules and edge molecules.

All complementary base will adhere to each
other to form a long chains of DNA molecules
Solution with Merge Solution with
vertex DNA & edge DNA
molecules Anneal molecules

Long chains of DNA molecules (All

possible paths exist in the graph)
Adleman’s Experiment (continued…)

• Select a path that starts with proper

city and ends with final city.

• Select paths with correct number of

cities.

• Select path which contains each city

only once.
 Adleman’s Experiment (continued…)

• The solution is a double helix molecule:

Darwin Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Perth Alice Spring

CCGATG – CGGTGC – TTAAGG – GATACT – AAAGGG – CGTCCA

TACGCC – ACGAAT – TCCCTA – TGATTT – CCCGCA

Darwin Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Perth

Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Perth Alice Spring
Hence Adleman proved DNA can be used to solve complex
problems……….
Conventional vs. Biological Computers

Conventional Biological

Component materials Inorganic, e.g. silicon Biological, e.g. DNA

Processing scheme Sequential and limited Massively parallel

massively parallel
Current max. 1012 Op.s per sec. 1014 Op.s per sec.
operations
Quantum effects a Yes No
problem?
Toxic components? Yes No
Energy efficient? No Yes
 Applications
• Can be a general purpose tool for a variety
of problems
• Many possible applications:
Pattern recognition
Cryptography
Evaluating gene sequence
• Medical Application: ‘developing disease’
treatments such as cancer
• Taiwan introduced the world's first
DNA authentication chip & was used
for national identification cards in
order to crack down on frauds using
fake ID cards. 
Advantages of Biological Computers

Parallel Computing- Biological computers are massively

parallel.

Incredibly light weight- With only 1 LB of DNA you have

more computing power than all the computers ever made.

Low power- The only power needed is to keep DNA from

denaturing.

Solves Complex Problems quickly- A DNA computer can

solve hardest of problems in a matter of weeks.
 Advantages (Continued…)

•Perform millions of operations simultaneously.

•Generate a complete set of potential solutions.

• Efficiently handle massive amounts of working memory.

•cheap, clean, readily available materials.

•amazing ability to store information.

 Limitations
•Error: Molecular operations are not perfect.

•Efficiency: How many molecules contribute?

•Encoding problem in molecules is difficult

•DNA computing involves a relatively large amount of error.

•As size of problem grows, probability of receiving incorrect answer

eventually becomes greater than probability of receiving correct
answer

•Reliability- There is sometime errors in the pairing of DNA strands

•DNA in vitro decays through time, so lab procedures should not

take too long.
 The Future
Algorithm used by Adleman for the traveling salesman problem
was simple. As technology becomes more refined, more efficient
algorithms may be discovered.

DNA Manipulation technology has rapidly improved in recent

years, and future advances may make DNA computers more
efficient.

The University of Wisconsin is experimenting with chip-based

DNA computers.
 THANK YOU!!!

It will take years to develop a practical,

workable Biological Computer.

But…Let’s all hope that this DREAM comes

true!!!
I have taken reference from all sources
in internet….& thank all those
sources