Researchers have found a new way to power DNA computers — tiny biological devices that perform calculations using biochemical properties of DNA bases rather than conventional silicone chips, which use electricity to carry out computation.
These molecular machines could one day be used to store data, solve difficult mathematical problems and analyse biological data. But researchers have struggled to find an energy source for them that is as reliable as the ATP used in living cells or the electricity that powers everyday devices.
Now, a study published in Nature on 1 October1 has demonstrated that heat could be an option. The authors created DNA circuits that they could charge and recharge by cycling the temperature of the system.
The work “suggests a future where artificial molecular machines can recharge themselves and remain active over long periods of time”, says study co-author Lulu Qian, a bioengineer at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. “It’s like self-driving cars pulling into charging stations on their own: molecules could one day recharge themselves at heat stations.”
To read more, click here.