Why cellular computations challenge our design principles
Biological systems inherently perform computations, inspiring synthetic biologists to engineer biological systems capable of executing predefined computational functions for diverse applications. Typically, this involves applying principles from the design of conventional silicon-based computers to...
| Autores: | , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Estado: | Versión publicada |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2025 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) |
| Repositorio: | DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:digital.csic.es:10261/392350 |
| Acceso en línea: | http://hdl.handle.net/10261/392350 https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105003828432 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Biocomputation Cellular computing Complexity Synthetic biology |
| Sumario: | Biological systems inherently perform computations, inspiring synthetic biologists to engineer biological systems capable of executing predefined computational functions for diverse applications. Typically, this involves applying principles from the design of conventional silicon-based computers to create novel biological systems, such as genetic Boolean gates and circuits. However, the natural evolution of biological computation has not adhered to these principles, and this distinction warrants careful consideration. Here, we explore several concepts connecting computational theory, living cells, and computers, which may offer insights into the development of increasingly sophisticated biological computations. While conventional computers approach theoretical limits, solving nearly all problems that are computationally solvable, biological computers have the opportunity to outperform them in specific niches and problem domains. Crucially, biocomputation does not necessarily need to scale to rival or replicate the capabilities of electronic computation. Rather, efforts to re-engineer biology must recognise that life has evolved and optimised itself to solve specific problems using its own principles. Consequently, intelligently designed cellular computations will diverge from traditional computing in both implementation and application. |
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