Department of Computer Science and Applied Math and Department of Biological Chemistry , Weizmann Institute of Science , Rehovot 76100 , Israel.
Interface Focus. 2012 Aug 6;2(4):497-503. doi: 10.1098/rsfs.2011.0118. Epub 2012 Mar 21.
We describe a working mechanical device that embodies the theoretical computing machine of Alan Turing, and as such is a universal programmable computer. The device operates on three-dimensional building blocks by applying mechanical analogues of polymer elongation, cleavage and ligation, movement along a polymer, and control by molecular recognition unleashing allosteric conformational changes. Logically, the device is not more complicated than biomolecular machines of the living cell, and all its operations are part of the standard repertoire of these machines; hence, a biomolecular embodiment of the device is not infeasible. If implemented, such a biomolecular device may operate in vivo, interacting with its biochemical environment in a program-controlled manner. In particular, it may 'compute' synthetic biopolymers and release them into its environment in response to input from the environment, a capability that may have broad pharmaceutical and biological applications.
我们描述了一个工作的机械装置，它体现了艾伦·图灵的理论计算机，因此是一种通用可编程计算机。该装置通过施加聚合物延伸、裂解和连接的机械模拟、沿聚合物运动以及通过分子识别释放变构构象变化来控制三维构建块。从逻辑上讲，该装置并不比活细胞中的生物分子机器更复杂，并且其所有操作都是这些机器标准功能的一部分；因此，该装置的生物分子体现并非不可行。如果实现了，这样的生物分子装置可能在体内运行，以程序化的方式与其生化环境相互作用。特别是，它可以“计算”合成生物聚合物，并根据环境输入将其释放到环境中，这种能力可能具有广泛的药物和生物学应用。
