Illustrative art



DNA Fuels Molecular Computer
Bottom: A finite-state automaton that analyzes its input, a list of a’s and b’s, according to program rules depicted as labeled arrows, ending the computation in S0 if the input has an even number of a’s and in S1 otherwise.

Top: Molecular realization of this automaton. An input DNA molecule (green/blue) provides both data and fuel for the computation. Software DNA molecules (red/purple) encode program rules, and the restriction enzyme FokI (colored ribbons) functions as the automaton’s hardware.

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