Protein-DNA computation by stochastic assembly cascade

Abstract

The assembly of RecA on single-stranded DNA is measured and interpreted as a stochastic finite-state machine that is able to discriminate fine differences between sequences, a basic computational operation. RecA filaments efficiently scan DNA sequence through a cascade of random nucleation and disassembly events that is mechanistically similar to the dynamic instability of microtubules. This iterative cascade is a multistage kinetic proofreading process that amplifies minute differences, even a single base change. Our measurements suggest that this stochastic Turing-like machine can compute certain integral transforms.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC129313/ http://www.pnas.org/content/99/18/11589.abstract

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