Introduction

BIOCOMPUTING

OverviewIntroductionHistoryScientific backgroundTypes of bio computersHuman bio computersBiological computationFirst biocomputerBenefitsAdvancementsFuture potentialConclusion

Introduction Design and construction of computers using biochemical components ;An approach to programming that seeks to emulate biological processes;The application of biological models or processes in structuring computer programs or programming .

Bio computers

a hypothetical computer with electronic DNA and simulated biological properties and processes ;Bio computers use system of biologically derived molecules to perform computational calculations involving storing , retrieving and processing data ;Development of bio computers is made possible by expanding new sciences of nano biotechnology .

HistoryTo look for differences and similarities on the DNA level between proteins ;Comparison of several sequences ;To distinguish between a diseased and an healthy individual .

Scientific background

Consists of series of metabolic pathways involving biological materials that are engineered to behave in a particular manner based on input ;Resulting pathway of reactions that take place constitute an output , which is based on its engineering design and can be interpreted as form of computational analysis .

Types Of Biocomputers

Biochemical computersUse immense variety of feedback loops ;Given the nature of biochemical systems to be regulated through different pathways , one can engineer chemical pathway ;Presence of particular product can serve as a signal;Still in very experimental stage .

2. Biomechanical ComputersMechanical shape of a molecule or a set of molecules under a set of initial conditions serve as output ;Rely on nature of specific molecules to adopt certain physical configuration under certain chemical conditions ;The mechanical product is detected and interpreted appropriately as a calculated output .

3. Bioelectronic ComputersConstructed to perform electronic computing ;Measured output is nature of electrical conductivity that is observed ;Comprises of specifically designed molecules that conduct electricity in highly specific manners based upon initial conditions .

Human Bio computerHuman bio computer ,coined by John C Lily, refers to hardware of human anatomy ; It has stored programming properties and self meta programming properties with limits ;It includes :Mind ,Brain ,Stored programs ,Meta programming .

Functional Organisation

Biological ComputationIncludes efforts to determine how does information technology from sub cellular level to system and population level ;Aims to develop new computational technology that enable multi scale modeling from molecules to cells to systems .The main categories in it include :

Programming Language For Composable DNADesigning robust, correct DNA devices is difficult because of many possibilities for unwanted interferences between molecules of the system ;DNA strand displacement (DSD) has been proposed as design paradigm for DNA devices DSD programming language has been developed as a means of formally programming and analysing devices to check for unwanted interferences ; These will help to facilitate design of DNA circuits and their compilation to nucleotide sequences .

A programming language for genetic engineering of living cellsSynthetic biology aims at producing novel biological systems to carry out some desired and well-defined functions. Aim is to design these systems at a high level of abstraction using engineering-based tools and programming languages, press a button, and have the design translated to DNA sequences that can be synthesised and put to work in living cells.The language is a first step towards the automatic translation of high-level behavioral designs to low-level DNA code.

Computational modeling of immune system processesAims to convert immunological data into problems, solve them using different approaches and convert them into immunologically meaningful interpretation ;It is the ability to distinguish self from non-self ;Understanding and possibly controlling the mechanisms that govern immuno-dominance will have profound consequences for the fight against several classes of diseases .

Synthesising Biological TheoriesThis tool enables biologists and modelers to construct high-level theories and models of biological systems, capturing biological hypotheses, inferred mechanisms, and experimental results within the same framework ;develop and integrate powerful simulation, analysis and visualizationmethods to support effectiveways to probe the biological models andenable predicitive capabilities ;objective is to make the tool intuitive for biologists and user friendly .

Stochastic Pi-Machinesa programming language for designing and simulating computer models of biological processes;based on a mathematical formalism known as the pi-calculus, and the simulation algorithm is based on standard kinetic theory of physical chemistry;features a simple graphical notation for modeling a range of biological systems, and can be used to model large systems incrementally, by directly composing simpler models of subsystems .

Worlds First Biocomputer A team from theScripps Research Institutein California and the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology claims it has created the computing system using bio-molecules and can decipher images encrypted on DNA chips ;

it can be compared to a simple Turing device ;For working of device, there is a tube carry solution in whichchemicalcomponentsalong with various small DNA molecules with selected DNA enzymes and ATP are mixed ;computing is based on a solution that termed as a process of interactions between molecules. Desired result can find by tinkering with the type of DNA and enzymes in the mix ;can extract images similar to the way computer software does ;The hardware and software in these devices are complex biological molecules that activate one another to carry out some predetermined chemical work.

BenefitsIts economicalbenefit lies in this potential of all biologically derived systems to self-replicate and self-assemble given appropriate conditions;This characteristic of biological molecules makes their production highly efficient and relatively inexpensive ;molecular-scale computing devices could be embedded in our bodies to monitor health and treat diseases before they progress ;it allows simulataneous calculations and can calculate in sequence

Notable Advancements

Currently, biocomputers exist with various functional capabilities that include operations oflogicand mathematical calculations ;can perform logical operations in which the appropriate binary output will occur only under specific, logical constraints on the initial conditions.

Future Potentiallargely premature in comparison to commercially available non-bio computers;Certainly, there is plenty of room to improve in the realm of biocomputer computational ability; one may reasonably expect the science of biocomputers to advance greatly in the years to come;As we reach the technically feasible limits of the current electronic technology of the desktop computer, a new breed of biologically based bacterialnanocomputers of the future may have the capacity to impact and alter desktop computing forever, that could bring huge increases of computing capacity, power, storage and speed.

Conclusionaren't going to replace electronic computers which offer greater speed, fidelity, and power in traditional computing tasks any time soon,instead will be used for large-scale and long-term storage.The main advantages of bio molecular computing devices over electronic computers have to do with other properties.Even though the current approaches in bio computing are very helpful in identifying patterns and functions of proteins and genes, they are still far from being perfect. They are not only time-consuming, requiring Unix workstations to run on, but might also lead to false interpretations and assumptions due to necessary simplifications.