The research points to new possibilities for long-term data storage, energy-efficient computation and molecular systems, according to the team.
A team of Maynooth University researchers has developed a “thermodynamically favoured molecular computer” that is thought to be one of the most complex and fastest DNA computers yet created.
The work of Prof Damien Woods, Dr Abeer Eshra, Dr Constantine Evans, Janet Adio and Dr Tristan Stérin was published this week (16 September) in the journal Nature.
Their research demonstrates a molecular computer made from strands of DNA that can perform multiplication, division and addition. Unlike conventional computers that run on silicon chips, the system is a collection of interacting DNA strands in water without a continuous electricity supply that needs only a small amount of heat to kick-start computations.
Woods said: “Silicon-based computers use so much energy; 23pc of Ireland’s electricity goes into computing and data storage. We’ve been blinkered by only seeing one type of computer, but there are other examples around us, including our brain.”
According to the team, the research points to new possibilities for long-term data storage, energy-efficient computation and molecular systems that could operate inside cells for applications such as disease detection.
The team created the DNA computer by adding a small drop of water and salt to a test tube, together with short pieces of DNA and a longer DNA scaffold. This ‘recipe’ was then heated and cooled, allowing the DNA to perform a computation.
“The molecules interact, form a structure and that structure is the answer. One key innovation is that the system naturally finds that answer without needing continuous energy inputs,” said Woods.
The university said its DNA computer was “shown to be robust and reusable” and was capable of performing up to 25 different calculations in a row.
“A small droplet of liquid contains billions, and sometimes trillions, of DNA strands. These strands interact with one another to produce a result,” said Eshra.
“The reaction happens fast in the test tube, but not as fast as silicon – nor is it intended to be. But compared to other DNA computers, ours is the fastest.”
Woods leads an EU-funded DNA computing initiative at the university’s Hamilton Institute that explores alternative forms of computing.
He said: “This is blue-skies science. We don’t know where the future is going to take us.” The team’s Nature-published research can be viewed here.
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