A Computer Inside a Cell

For the first time, synthetic biologists have created a genetic device that mimics one of the widgets on which all of modern electronics is based, the three-terminal transistor. Like standard electronic transistors, the new biological transistor is expected to work in many different biological circuit designs. Together with other advances in crafting genetic circuitry, that should make it easier for scientists to program cells to do everything from monitor pollutants and the progression of disease to turning on the output of medicines and biofuels.

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At the heart of the new biological transistors, which Endy's team calls "transcriptor," are three components: an engineered DNA strand; RNA polymerase (RNA-P), an enzyme that travels along DNA and copies it into RNA; and proteins called integrases that are capable of cutting and pasting DNA. The DNA acts like a wire, Endy says.   But instead of controlling how electrons flow down the wire, the team uses the integrases (the gate) to control how many molecules of RNA-P (the electrons) travel down the DNA strand, they report online today in Science.

Visit http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2013/03/a-computer-inside-a-cell.html?ref=em to read the complete article or...

visit http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2013/03/27/science.1232758.abstract to read the abstract of the full article.