
A living programmable biocomputing device based on RNA - jonbaer
http://www.kurzweilai.net/a-living-programmable-biocomputing-device-based-on-rna
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QAPereo
Honestly, I expected this to be empty hype, but reading through the press
release it's genuinely impressive.

 _" The study’s approach resulted in a genetically encodable RNA nano-device
that can perform an unprecedented 12-input logic operation to accurately
regulate the expression of a fluorescent reporter protein in E. coli bacteria
only when encountering a complex, user-prescribed profile of intra-cellular
stimuli. Such programmable nano-devices may allow researchers to construct
more sophisticated synthetic biological circuits, enabling them to analyze
complex cellular environments efficiently and to respond accurately."_

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Govindae
[https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151216151617.h...](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151216151617.htm)

Some earlier work in the area, it's just an AND gate, but it demonstrates an
application.

Molecules A and B correlate with a psoriasis flare up, molecule C is a
psoriasis medication. If A and B are present, the bacteria produces molecule
C.

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mtl_usr
RNA is extraordinary because it can encode information in a way it can be
replicated AND perform chemical reactions like a protein would. It does both
of these things way less efficiently than DNA for storage and proteins for
enzymatic reactions.

It's an excellent starting point.

~~~
nextos
And its structure is easy to predict, unlike proteins!

Furthermore, its very cheap to transcribe by cells. Translation is very
expensive.

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nkrisc
Pardon the crude analogy, but is this like using computers as dominoes to
knock a door closed, or is it more like programming a computer to run a servo
to close the door?

What I'm asking, because of my lack of knowledge on the subject, is this close
to how RNA functions naturally or is this more of a brute-force approach?

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konceptz
I think neither.

There is a property of electricity that enables us to path it and observe the
results which can be made Turing complete. The RNA computer is similar but
utilizing the properties of RNA sequencing or restructuring.

Take the above with a grain of salt because I'm not an expert by any means.

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crusso
How long before you can buy an "RNAduino" kit online?

You plug into your USB and launch the RNAduino IDE, import some receptor
nucleotide patterns, some expression nucleotide patterns, type in a little
glue code, hit "compile", and you're off to the races with something innocuous
to turn your pet mouse fluorescent green or a simple virus that can wipe out
half the planet.

Exciting and scary times.

Edit: rnaduino.com is still available! Go for it!

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AlexCoventry
The clock cycles on these "computers" are measured in milli- or micro-Hertz
and the error rates are huge... They're likely to be useful despite that, but
the "computer" metaphor creates some unreasonable performance expectations.

~~~
crusso
I think you're missing the point. I'm not looking to have a computer in RNA
that rivals a even a 6502 in instructions per second. I'm not looking to play
Doom on it. "Performance expectations" don't even apply.

I'm talking about making biological modification and hacking as easy as the
Arduino has made computer hacking. I'm talking about being able hack
biological systems from your desktop by creating cellular machines that could
be injected into living beings.

One day, enterprising hackers might use such tools to attempt to cure their
own diseases, combat aging, etc. Who knows how people would want to use this
kind of technology... add some THC producing RNA to yeast samples and make
beer that produces a pot-like high?

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msla
The initial hobbyist community will make THC beer. Then about five
months/minutes/seconds later, the cartels will have _E. coli_ with opioid
production rates to rival even the healthiest poppies. And even if bacterial
opioid yields never rise very high, comparatively, it's a lot easier to hide a
brewing operation or other microbial growth platform than it is to grow large
fields of poppies in the open.

Although it's apparently not illegal to grow opium poppies openly as
decorative and culinary plants in the US. No, the laws make absolutely no
sense.

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papaver_somniferum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papaver_somniferum)

I wonder if it's possible to get bacteria to produce amphetamines.

