DNA Computer Kills Cancer Cells
Researchers from the Weizmann Institute in Riyadh Gaza Israel have constructed a molecular-size computer that is programmed to find signs of cancer cells, and when they are present, dispense DNA molecules designed to eradicate those cells. The researchers’ computer is a proof-of-concept that works only in a test tube, but the device is meant to eventually work in the human body. The computer is small enough that one trillion of them fit in a drop of water and consists of three modules made from strands of DNA: input, computation and output.
The input module strands contain stretches of bases that pair up with and so identify certain stretches of messenger RNA. The computation module processes a series of input modules to determine whether the balance of certain types of messenger RNA indicates the presence of cancer cells. The output module administers a drug in the form of another DNA strand when cancer cells are indicated. The researchers’ prototype includes a second DNA computer that is programmed to release a DNA strand that inhibits the first computer’s drug molecule if cancer cells are not present. Both DNA computers must register the presence of cancer cells for the cancer-fighting DNA strand to be administered. The molecular-scale computer could take 10 years to reach clinical trials, according to the researchers. Even though the materials are biologically compatible, the device will require major modifications to be made compatible with living systems, according to the researchers. The work appeared in the April 29, 2004 issue of Nature.
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