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Examining the architecture of cellular computing through a comparative study with a computer.

Degeng Wang1, Michael Gribskov

  • 1San Diego Supercomputer Center, University of California at San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0537, USA. dwang@sdsc.edu

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface
|July 20, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Cells operate like super-parallel computers, using genomic code for hardware and gene expression for process management. This comparison offers insights into systems biology by viewing cellular functions through a computational lens.

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Area of Science:

  • Computational Biology
  • Systems Biology
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Both computers and cells utilize coded information for system operations: binary code in computers and genomic code in cells.
  • Both systems exhibit modular, multi-layered architectures, though developed differently (engineering vs. biological evolution).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To comparatively examine the system architecture and information processing of computers and cells.
  • To draw parallels between cellular and computational systems to enhance understanding of cellular operations.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of system architecture and information storage/utilization schemes.
  • Utilizing computer systems as a reference model for mapping cellular components.

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Main Results:

  • Cells blur the hardware-software distinction, with genomic encoding defining biochemical network components.
  • Gene expression regulates the abundance of cellular components, influencing pathway "bandwidth" and enabling parallel processing.
  • Cells function as super-parallel computers, computing via controlled hardware composition, unlike sequential computer processing.

Conclusions:

  • A cell can be conceptualized as a super-parallel computer, computing through controlled hardware composition.
  • Understanding computational systems offers potential benefits for advancing systems biology and comprehending cellular operations.