Computational genes: a tool for molecular diagnosis and therapy of aberrant mutational phenotype.
BACKGROUND
A finite state machine manipulating information-carrying DNA strands can be used to perform autonomous molecular-scale computations at the cellular level.


RESULTS
We propose a new finite state machine able to detect and correct aberrant molecular phenotype given by mutated genetic transcripts. The aberrant mutations trigger a cascade reaction: specific molecular markers as input are released and induce a spontaneous self-assembly of a wild type protein or peptide, while the mutational disease phenotype is silenced. We experimentally demostrated in in vitro translation system that a viable protein can be autonomously assembled.


CONCLUSIONS
Our work demostrates the basic principles of computational genes and particularly, their potential to detect mutations, and as a response thereafter administer an output that suppresses the aberrant disease phenotype and/or restores the lost physiological function.
Martínez-Pérez
Israel M
IM
Institute of Computer Technology, Hamburg University of Technology, Hamburg 21073, Germany. martinez-perez@tu-harburg.de
Zhang
Gong
G
Ignatova
Zoya
Z
Zimmermann
Karl-Heinz
KH
D003198:Computer Simulation; D039301:Computers, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics*; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D018390:Gene Targeting / Q000379:methods*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000379:methods; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype
D004247:DNA