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Self-assembling DNA recognizes patterns

Self-assembling DNA can process information, but the computations have been limited to digital algorithms. A self-assembling DNA system has now been designed to perform complex pattern recognition.
  1. Andrew Phillips

    1. Andrew Phillips is at Sanofi, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK.

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How do biological systems process information? Such computations occur at multiple scales, involving molecules, cells, tissues, organs and beyond. For example, computational circuits are embedded in molecular pathways1 and formed by the neurons of the brain2, and the immune system computes immune responses by processing a vast array of molecular inputs3. Understanding such information processing could unlock strategies for treating disease and identify fundamental engineering principles of biology.

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Nature 625, 454-455 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-03997-1

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Competing Interests

The author declares no competing interests.

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