title: Biological computation.
abstract: It is argued that biological systems can be viewed as special computing devices. This view emerges from considerations of how information is stored in and retrieved from the genes. Genes can only specify the properties of the proteins they code for, and any integrative properties of the system must be 'computed' by their interactions. This provides a framework for analysis by simulation and sets practical bounds on what can be achieved by reductionist models.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Sciences Research Institute Inc., La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brenner
mesh_terms: D019295:Computational Biology; D008432:Mathematical Computing; D008954:Models, Biological