The term “DNA” is immediately reminiscent of a double-stranded helix that contains all of our genetic information. However, the individual units of the two strands are pairs of molecules that are attached to each other in a selective and complementary manner. After all, this pairing property can be used to perform complex mathematical calculations, which form the basis of DNA computing.

Since DNA has only two strands, even simple calculations require multiple chemical reactions using different sets of DNA. In most existing studies, the DNA of each reaction is manually added to one reaction tube, one at a time, making the process very cumbersome. Microfluidic chips, consisting of narrow channels etched into materials such as plastic, provide a way to automate the process. However, despite their promises, the use of microfluidic chips for DNA computing remains unexplored.

In a recent article — Now available online ACS Nano It was published on July 7, 2021 and on July 27, 2021 in Volume 15, Issue 7 of the Journal. A team of scientists from Incheon National University (INU) in South Korea has unveiled a programmable DNA-based microfluidic chip. A personal computer for performing DNA calculations. “Our hope is that DNA-based CPUs will replace electronic CPUs in the future because they consume less power and help global warming. DNA-based CPUs are deep learning solutions and mathematical modeling. We also provide a platform for complex calculations such as, “said Dr. Youngjun Song of INU, who led the study.

What makes the designed chip special is the electric valve system that can be operated using a PC or smartphone. The chip and software setups work together to form a microfluidic processing unit (MPU). Thanks to the valve system, the MPU was able to perform a series of reactions to perform a combination of logical operations in a quick and convenient way.

News Source: SciTechDaily